Harry and Alice Potter: Year Two
by TheOriginalSnapespeare
Summary: Previously titled "Reflections of the Past" Harry and his twin sister Allison are back for their second year at Hogwarts. The twins begin to drift apart when Alice chooses to become friends with Draco Malfoy. But when the Chamber of Secrets is open and students begin to become petrified will Harry and Alice be able to put there problems aside for the sake of Hogwarts?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

It was an incredibly hot day while I lay in my bed staring at the four walls. It was too hot for being outside, too hot for reading a book and it was certainly too hot for practicing magic. I looked around my room. It was about noon time, and soon one of our house elves would be knocking on the door telling me it was lunch time. I looked around my room. The walls were painted a beautiful emerald green; there was black trim around the floor. My large wrought iron bed was in the far left corner of the room, across the farthest wall from the door. To the left of the door there was a large wardrobe that held all of my clothes. I rolled over to my bedside table, I had put a photo album full of pictures of my brother, and parents atop it. I picked up the photo album and started to look at the pictures. The first page was one of my favorites. It was a picture of my parents embracing. My mother with her long red hair, and bright smile, looked like me in nearly every aspect. The only difference was our eyes, I had my father's oval brown eyes, and my mother had shinning green ones. In the picture my parents were spinning near a fountain, rose petals fell around them as they twirled. My parents died when I was only a year old, and this picture was the first image I ever had of them. When my twin brother Harry and I were born our parents were fighting in a war agents one of the darkest wizards in history. They died protecting us agents him. Harry and I grew up in separate homes, raised by our parents' best friends. I was raised by my mother's best friend and double agent Severus Snape. However the wizarding world couldn't ever find out that I had been raised by an ex-Death Eater so I was half raised by my dad's best friend Uncle Remus Lupin.

A light knock on my door soon came and I peeled myself away from the bed. I put the photo album on my bed and opened my bedroom door.

"Miss Allison, Lunch is served." Said a squeaky voice at my knees. I looked down and fond one of my favorite pointy eared house elves staring up at me.

"Thank you Mitzi. Would you mind showing me the way just one more time?" I asked.

"Master Severus said you might ask that." She said with a smile as she led me down the stairs. We had been living in this house for at least two weeks and I was still having trouble finding my way around. After walking down three flights of stairs, we turned right, left, and right again and entered the dining room. There was a loud pop as Mitzi disappeared beside me.

"Still having trouble getting around?" Severus asked me as I sat across the table from him.

"Yeah I guess." I said awkwardly stabbing at my pasta. He chuckled at me.

"It's alright I needed house elves to escort me around until I was nine, and I grew up here." He said.

"I still have trouble believing that. This house is beautiful; I wish I'd grown up here."

"Well you have quite a bit of time ahead of you. We certainly can stay here if you wish."

"I sort of miss home." I said referring to the farmhouse where I grew up.

"Well Remus is maintaining to property with the help of the house elves, we can return there at any time."

"Have you spoken with Remus recently? I haven't gotten any mail from him, Harry or any of my friends." I said.

"No I have not. But I assume he is just trying to get settled back home. I'm sure he has been rather busy maintaining two properties, and as for your friends, I'm sure they are also very busy, doing homework, traveling, don't worry child the letters will come." We ate the rest of our lunch in silence. When we were done Severus showed me to the library and I spent most of the afternoon there. After a few hours Severus escaped to his lab, like he always did when something was on my mind that I wasn't ready to talk about. He claimed he had to go prepare lessons for the coming year, but I didn't fully believe him. A few hours after Severus disappeared there was a loud pop beside me. I assumed it was a house elf, coming in to clean the library, so I continued on with my reading.

"Are you Miss Allison Potter?" _The squeaky voice asked. Who else would I be? No other girls live here_. I thought as I peeked over my book.

"Yes. I'm Alice, We must not have met." I put my hand out for the elf to shake. "Who are you?" The elf looked confused.

"Again one of the Potter children treats Dobby as an equal! Twice Dobby has been shown respect!" Dobby looked panicked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, please sit!" I jumped up off my chair.

"Miss Potter is most kind, offering Dobby her own seat, like an equal being." Dobby burst into what I imagine were elf tears. It In fact sounded like a cat through a blender.

"Please, please stop crying!" The elf stopped crying immediately.

"Dobby is sorry miss, he has never been shown this much kindness in his life." That didn't sound right, all of the house elves I had met so far had said that Severus and his family had always been kind to them.

"Dobby, to you belong to the Snape-Prince Family?" I asked using both Severus and his mother's family names.

"No miss. But Dobby may not say who his master is. His young master has forbidden me from telling you." Dobby looked horrified again. "Dobby has said too much, he must be punished." He began to smash his face into one of the bookcases.

"Dobby stop that!" He stopped as soon as I gave the command.

"Allison is everything alright? What are you doing up there?" Severus' voice called from below.

"Yeah, I'm fine Sev, I..ah..I dropped a bunch of books trying to reach the top shelf." I called down.

"Would you like me to help you?"

"No that's alright I've got it. Sorry to interrupt your work." I shouted.

"Just be careful Alice-Lily." He responded and went back to work.

"Ok, so you can't tell me who your masters are. I'm sorry I asked. But earlier you said 'again one of the Potter children treats you with respect.' Have you seen Harry?" I asked.

"Yes. Dobby was sent to warn you both. You must not go back to Hogwarts."

"But I have to go back to Hogwarts Dobby. My whole family will be there and all of my friends. I can't imagine Emily, Mary, Draco, Hermione and Ron going through school without Harry and me!"

"You speak of friends, but your friends and even your brother haven't been writing to you. Even your Uncle Remus doesn't write."

"Well they haven't been writing because they've been traveling and...hold on how do you know they haven't been writing to me?" The elf looked sheepish as he dug his hands into his dirty pocket.

"Dobby's master told Dobby, to do what Dobby had to do, Dobby thought if Miss Alice thought her brother, and friends did not write to her, Dobby thought she would not wish to return to Hogwarts. Dobby will give Miss Alice her letters if she promises not to return to Hogwarts this year."

"How about this, Dobby gives me my letters and I don't curse him into the next dimension." I said as a produced my wand from my pocket. I pointed my wand straight at the little elf.

"Dobby will not give Miss Alice her letters, unless she promises." I flicked my wand, and Dobby disapperated to the other side of the room, my jinx kept going and shattered a vase.

"ALLISON what was that?" roared a suspicious voice from down stairs.

"Nothing." I called back and I flicked my wand again at the troublesome elf. We continued on in this way until I had broken several objects and Severus' heavy footsteps were heard approaching the library. Dobby tossed the letters at me, and as the Severus opened the door, Dobby disapperated for the final time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Returning Home **

"I had to threaten him with my wand to get my letters." I said.

"I doubt it." Severus said bitterly after I told him what happened.

"I swear Severus that's what happened!" I said for what seemed like the hundredth time. "How else would I have my letters I've been looking for?"

"I don't mean I don't believe your story, I mean I don't believe that using your want was necessary. Just as I don't think it was necessary for you and your brother to take on a servant of the Dark Lord alone. Sometimes you are just like your father, so quick to jump into action, not thinking. Your mother would have never allowed you to behave this way." He said harshly.

"You always compare me to my father, but you don't see how much you're like him yourself. What about last Halloween, when you found out Quirrell was trying to steal the stone? Did you think before chasing after him and losing half your leg to a three headed dog? How about when you saw he was cursing Harry's broom, did you hesitate before you started the counter curse? Or when Hermione told you we had gone after Quirrell and you didn't even bother telling Remus and Sirius you just took off after us! You blame my haste on my dead father I never knew. My faults are as much a reflection of my father as they are any other victim of Voldemort." I ranted. "And don't start with my mother! Because thanks to the Voldemort fan club you're so fond of, I don't have a mother! You were her best friend, and you might as well of handed them to Voldemort." I could see I had struck a nerve, but I didn't care. I was so angry and hurt because he didn't believe me, I wanted him to feel as hurt as I did.

"GO. TO. YOUR. ROOM! AND GET. OUT. OF. MY. SIGHT." He bellowed. I gladly complied running through the house until I found the stairs, and then stopping all the way up them. "DO NOT STAMP YOUR FEET IM MY HOUSE!" He yelled from bellow. Ignored him and purposely jumped up the last two steps. I whipped open my bedroom door and flung myself on the bed sobbing. After a good hour of crying, I dried my tears, and sat on my bed reading my letters. While reading, I noticed something growing warm in my pocket. It was an enchanted piece of parchment Severus had given me last year, so that we could communicate without alerting anyone else. I rolled my eyes before opening the parchment and reading the note.

_Come down stairs. You have a visitor. _That made me nervous, because Severus was a double agent who supported both Voldemort and Dumbledore, I was not allowed to have visitors. Especially not students from Hogwarts, or my brother Harry, plus I had never told anyone where I lived. That eliminated everyone I knew. So who could possibly be here to visit me? My question was answered as a neared the base of the steps.

"Ah Severus good to see you haven't changed much in the past few weeks. Though I can't believe she said that about Lily." A familiar voice chucked from the sitting room. I smiled with relief when I realized it was my favorite Uncle Remus Lupin sitting opposite Severus in, what was usually my, armchair.

"Uncle Remus!" I exclaimed. He stood as I ran towards him.

"Oh Alice-Lily I have missed you so much!" We hugged for a long moment taking each other in. We finally separated and I took a seat on the floor next to him. Knowing that in his head Severus was scolding me for not taking a proper seat on the furniture. "I have been owling you both every day since the end of term. I was so worried when I didn't receive any letters from either of you, I decided to floo over and check on you." Remus explained.

"I've missed you so much Remus. How is everything at home? How is my horse?" I questioned.

"Everything at home is fine. My main concern is you Allison." _Uh-oh_ I thought.

"Severus was just telling me about your argument today. He says it's not the first one you have recently either. Severus and I have talked it over and we think you are under a lot of pressure here. You must always find a way to occupy yourself here. At home whenever Severus was busy you could come to my house. Here you have not had that luxury. So what we decided was that you need to be somewhere where you can have friends over, somewhere you can roam, somewhere you can be you. We all know the Severus' restriction of visitors and his reasons behind them, but if you were to come home with me, you come have friends over. You could see Harry you could go to your friends' homes. All of this would be possible because the wizarding community already thinks you are in my care."

"I can have friends over?" I asked.

"You would have to stay at my house of course to keep up with the charade, but yes." Remus answered.

"But Severus would have to stay here?" I questioned.

"Yes, well…" He began, but Severus interjected.

"I believe it would be best for the two of us to spend some time apart Allison." Severus said.

"Then can I go home with Remus?"

"I have already given permission. Go pack all of your things. I don't think you will be returning to this house this summer." I headed up the stairs to pack my clothes, books and other objects in my Hogwarts trunk. When I was finished packing, I put my owl Apollo in his cadge and carried both the cage and the trunk into the sitting room. "I will take anything you have forgotten to Hogwarts." Severus said. "It will not be safe to write, so please use the parchment."

Even though I was mad at him, I gave Severus a big hug as we prepared for departure. "I'll miss you Sev." I said teary eyed. Even though he had left and went to Hogwarts every school year since I could remember, I never got used to saying goodbye to him.

"I'll see you soon." He whispered, as we let go and I stepped into the fireplace.

"Residence of Remus J. Lupin." I shouted throwing the floo powder down around me, and I watch Severus and the sitting room slowly disappear.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Remus' sitting room materialized around me, and I stepped out of the fireplace. Remus lived in a small ranch style home with very little furniture. The sitting room had a small love-seat style couch and a thin patched up armchair with a television in the middle. Beside the sitting room there was a set of stairs, leading down to the outside doorway. To the right of those stairs, were another set of three steps leading down into the two guest rooms. Following back up the stairs there is a kitchen to the right with a small table and four small chairs. Remus' room was off the living room, as was the bathroom. I turned on the television as waited for Remus to return. I was sure he and Severus were still discussing this afternoon's argument. Nearly a half hour had passed when Remus, Apollo and my trunk returned. I helped Remus carry my things down to the guest room I had come to know as mine. It was small with only enough room for a bed and a wardrobe, but it was light and cozy.

"Allison. We have to talk." Remus said from upstairs as I finished unpacking my things. _I was afraid you'd say that._ I thought. I sighed and headed upstairs, my bare feet padding the carpeted steps. "Allison what were you thinking saying that to him?"

"Remus you know as well as I do he is just as thick head as he paints my father to be!" I said. "I'm just so tiered of him always saying 'you're just like your father' or 'you're just like your mother' I never knew my mother or my father, so I don't understand how I can be 'just like' them. If I'm like anything I'm like him and you, because you are the ones who raised me."

"I meant what were you thinking when you said what you said about your mother." He paused "lily and Severus were best friends for a very long time. They grew up together. He would never do anything to hurt your mother, you know that. It nearly killed him the day he found out she had died. In fact I think if it weren't for the fact that you and Harry survived, Severus may have done something drastic that night. Alice that night is a very dark time for all wizards, but it was especially painful for Severus, Sirius and I. It was of coarse painful for you and Harry as well, but as you yourself said, neither of you knew your parents. Think about Emily, Mary or Draco. They are your best friends. You know how upset you felt when they didn't write? Now think about them dying and never being able to speak to them again. That's how it felt that night, at least for me. When James and Lilly went into hiding, we couldn't floo and visit, we couldn't write owls, we could not communicate at all, and then they died." I thought about what he said for a moment.

"It must be twice as hard for Severus."

"How do you mean?" Remus asked.

"Well he got in that fight with mom before all the Voldemort stuff started, so the last things they said to each other were in the fight. I guess I really shouldn't have said that to him, but how could he still keep up with the Death Eaters knowing they killed his best friend?"

"Alice have you ever heard the expression keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? In a way that is what Severus and Dumbledore are doing. They both want peace for the wizarding world, but Dumbledore feels the best way to protect us is by knowing Voldemort's actions. Severus agrees with him for good reason. I think he feels he failed to protect your parents and now wants to protect you and your brother."

"Well that makes sense. I guess I never thought about it that way." We watched the television for a while after that before Remus decided we ought to go to bed.

I awoke to the aroma of freshly cooked bacon, eggs and toast. It was nice being able to find my way to breakfast for once. I followed the smells to the small kitchen and sat in front of one on the two plates. Remus was already eating when I got there.

"How did you sleep Alice?" He asked.

"Fine." I said. "Remus, how soon will I be able to have someone over?"

"As soon as you wish. I know you are excited about having friends over, so I do not mind when you do, as long as we keep a close watch on the moon that is." Remus was a wizard, but also a werewolf, and is very important that he not be near anyone during a full moon.

"Of course" I said. "After breakfast I'll owl Emily and Mary extending them invitations over." After breakfast I did exactly that. I told my friends that Remus and I had been traveling and that's why I hadn't gotten any of their letters. I then extended an invitation to both Emily and Mary. Within a few days a reply came from Emily, saying that she would be joining us the following Friday. Remus and I moved a lot of my things from my home to his so it gave to illusion of me permanently living there. During the day Remus did allow me to return home and spend time there if I wished, but all of my favorite things were already at his home so I didn't bother. I passed time by practicing flying, doing homework and riding my horse Dexter. Before we knew it, it was Friday evening and Emily and Mrs. Smith were flooing into the sitting room.

"Hello Mrs. Smith, I am Remus Lupin Professor of Defense Agents the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and legal guardian of Allison Lillian Potter." Remus said and he stretched out his hand. She lightly gripped his hand and shook it.

"Pleasure to meet you Professor. Emily has told me so much about you; you and Professor Black are her favorites. My name is Amelia Smith." She introduced. Then she turned to me. "And you must be Miss Allison Potter." I took her outstretched hand and shook it.

"Yes, but you can call me Alice." I said. "It is nice to finally meet you. Emily speaks so well of both you and Mr. Smith . I can see why."

"Child you are too kind!" She exclaimed. "Now I really must be going, I will see you all in a few days when I come to pick Emily up." She then disappeared into the fireplace without another word.

"I'll leave you two alone, but Emily I want you to know that if you need anything while you are here, what's ours is yours. Certainly feel free to help yourself!" Remus encouraged as he slipped into his room.

"Thank you Professor!" She called back to him. Then she turned to me and practically choked me in a hug. "Oh my god I have missed you so much! How have you been? Where have you been? Was all of the traveling exciting? Did you miss me? Of course you did. What have you been up to?" Emily excitedly rambled on.

"Whoa! I missed you to Em, but you gotta slow down! What was your first question?" I asked.

"How have you been!" She repeated excitedly as her bright eyes light up.

"I've been sort of lonely, but other than that, just fine. Next you asked where I went, right?"

"Ya! Mary and I were so excited when you said you were traveling we couldn't wait to find out all the places you've been!" Since Emily doesn't know that I was really with Severus, I had to think of ways to tell her about my summer without including him.

"I've only been to Paris, France so far and we were supposed to be going to Dublin, Ireland next week but I don't know if we will. I really like being home." This wasn't all a lie, we had visited one of Severus' homes in Paris, but we hadn't stayed long., and we were supposed to go to Ireland, but I doubted that will happen after our fight.

"That's still exciting! My parents have never taken me anywhere, not even muggle London." Emily said. "What else have you been up to?"

"Mostly doing homework. One of the downsides to living with a professor, he expects you to get all of you homework done well before the start of term. I've already finished Potions, and Defense Agents the Arts, and Charms."

"Wow you sure have been busy! I'm surprised Professor Lupin has made you work so hard after last year."

"Yeah…last year…" I mumbled. I felt a twinge of guilt as Emily mentioned last year. Last term Harry, his best friends Ron, Hermione and I found out one of the professors was trying to help the Dark Lord Voldemort return to power. We stopped him from stealing a powerful stone and saved the wizarding community. At the time I thought I was doing the right thing by not telling Emily and Mary, but I realized soon after that it had cut away a little bit at our friendship. They were both hurt and felt that I didn't trust them.

"Allison," Emily said very seriously, "Mary and I talked a lot this summer about last year. We've decided to let the past be the past. We understand that you were just trying to protect us, and we probably would have done the same. So no worries ok?" I had always loved how perceptive Emily was. From the first day I met her she always seem to know what I was thinking.

"Em, when Mary gets here tomorrow can you remind me that I have to tell you both something?"

"Absolutely Alice." I helped her carry her things to my room. "It's so cute in here!" She said taking in the overly pink room.

"Hey Emily have you even seen a television before?" She shook her head and her short blond curls bounced around her face.

"No, but I know they're some kind of muggle entertainment devise. Ron Weasley explained it to me once."

"Come on I'll show you how one works." I lead her back upstairs, and showed her the Television and how the remote works. Emily and I were laughing our heads off at one of my favorite programs.

"This is amazing. It's like better than magic!"

"Well I wouldn't go that far Emily." Remus said emerging from his room.

"Oh Professor did we disturb you?"

"Emily, when you are at my home you may call me 'Remus' as long as you remember to call me professor at Hogwarts." She smiled. "And no you girls did not disturb me. I was actually coming out to prepare dinner would you girls like to help?"

"Sure!" we said together. We turned off the Television and helped Remus prepare dinner. It was late by the time we were finished eating.

"Girls you should head to bed."

"Can do Remus." Emily said as she dried the last plate. "She headed downstairs to change.

"Goodnight Uncle Remus." I said as I hugged him.

"It's nice to have some laughter back in this house. I missed you while you were away Alice."

"I missed you too! Don't worry I have a feeling we will be spending a lot of time together now."

"Severus will forgive you, you know…"

"We'll see." I said as I headed down the stairs. The next morning Emily and I dressed and went outside to practice flying. Around noon time there was a loud pop, as Mary and her dad appeared on the lawn. Emily and I flew over to them and landed about three feet away. We raced over and Mary, Emily and I joined in a three way hug.

"I have missed you both so much!" Mary said. Mary and Emily continued talking as I introduced myself to Mary's dad.

"Hello Mr. Thompson. I am Allison Potter."

"Hello Allison. Nice to meet you, and thank you for all that you and your brother have done for wizard kind. Now are you girls here alone?" He questioned.

"Of course not sir. My guardian is inside waiting to meet you." We started to walk inside, as I called back to the girls. "Are you two coming?"

"Soon!" Emily called back. Remus, was as I expected, waiting inside reading _The Prophet_. We entered the sitting room, and I introduced the men.

"Uncle Remus this is Mary's dad Mr. Thompson, Mr. Thompson this is my guardian and Uncle Professor Remus Lupin."

"Nice to meet you Professor. I just wanted to make sure the girls weren't alone; you know how kids are these days, wild parties and such. Well if that's all I'll be on my way." And he disappeared before any of us could respond.

"Well that was quick." Mary said as she came in the door. "So Em says you have something you wanted to tell us?" Remus looked up from his paper with a watchful eye.

"Yeah. A few weeks ago, I was in my room and the strangest thing happened to me. A house elf appeared to me and told me that it was not safe to go to Hogwarts! Come to find out he was stealing my letters, that's why I never got any of your responses!" I explained.

"Well that makes sense. All this time I thought it was just because you were still mad about last year, which Emily and I have agreed to forget about completely, by the way."

"Gosh I missed you guys!" I said pulling them into another group hug.

"So what is there to do on this big old farm?" Mary asked.

"Have you ever seen a television!" Emily exclaimed.

"Actually yes. My family has one."

"Oh." Emily looked disappointed.

"Well, have either of you ever been horseback riding?"

"No." They both said.

"Then have I got a treat for you come on."


	4. Chapter 4

_Are you packed for Ireland yet? _Severus' hand writing asked via enchanted parchment. It had been two weeks since Emily and Mary's first visit, and this was the first time Severus had tried to communicate with me.

_**No. Didn't both since we weren't talking, and don't really feel like it. I'm having fun at home. **_I replied.

_Just as I hoped. I will be returning home within the hour. I expect you home by dinner. –Severus. _I looked up at the kitchen clock, it was noon time, I had a few hours before I had to be home, and planned on making them last as long as possible.

"Severus is finally talking to you again?" Remus asked from across the table.

"I thought you were grading papers?" I asked, referring to the stack of homework turn in early by his fifth year students.

"I was, I thought you were doing homework, until I looked up to find you writing on a piece of parchment."

"I was doing homework, since when does writing mean I'm not doing homework?"

"Since homework means turning our tea kettle into a frying pan, and _not _scribbling on a 30 year old piece of parchment."

"Alright you caught me. He says he's coming home today, and expects me back by dinner. Can I stay here until dinner?" I pleaded.

"Alice you are always welcome in my home, but you will have to leave at dinner as Severus requests."

"No problem." I said. I finished up the last bit of my homework and went to practice flying while it was still light out. When it did finally get dark I went down into my room and read one of my favorite muggle books _The Three Musketeers. _

"Alice, bring you things up Severus is here." I looked at the clock on my nightstand, it was still an hour before our usual dinner time. I rolled my eyes, _what does he think, I'm going to try and escape like a convict?_ I asked myself as I gathered some of my clothes, and my owl and headed upstairs. The rest of my things would be staying her to keep up the myth about my guardianship. I hugged Remus goodbye and thanked him for allowing me to stay with him. Severus and I then left, walking the long path to our house in silence. About three feet from our property I finally had to say something.

"Why the sudden return home? When I left you said something about sending any of my forgotten things to Hogwarts. I assumed it meant you wouldn't be returning home before then."

"To be honest, I wasn't planning on returning at all, but of Voldemort's followers wish to have a meeting, and requested to use my home. You do not say no, to the Death Eaters." Severus said very solemnly.

"Then why am I coming home? Isn't it dangerous for me to be there with them?" I was terrified, a house full of people who want nothing more than to have me and my brother dead.

"Over the past twelve years, as you know, we have had several Death Eaters visit our home. Naturally they have inquired as to why there was a child living with me. Over the years I have told them that you are my niece, who during the summer comes to visit her favorite uncle. Do you remember what your name was?" It had been almost two years since I had to play the role of "Severus Snape's niece." I had almost forgotten about her completely.

"It was Myra Prince right? I go to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, which is why no one would recognize me from Hogwarts."

"Correct. As such I need you to remove all things Hogwarts related from your room, then return to me so that I may alter your appearance." When we reached the house I raced upstairs, hiding anything related to Hogwarts by changing its appearance to say Beaubatons. I then stood in front of Severus waiting. With a flick of his wand he changed nearly everything about me. My famous lightning bolt scar, disappeared. My beautiful long red hair was changed to curly dark black. My small nose was suddenly hook-like and very similar to Severus'. "That should be enough. You will eat dinner with us, and then you may retire to your room until they leave. "

"Easy enough." I replied as I helped him make dinner. Soon enough guest started filling up this house. Severus introduced me to all sorts of people, but the first name that I really took notice to was

"Lucius Malfoy this is my niece Myra Prince. She is visiting me on her summer away from Beaubatons Academy of Magic." For the first time I was meeting my best friend's father we stiffly shook hands before Severus continued. "And this is his son, Draco Malfoy." My instant reaction was to say, _but Sev I already know Draco, he's my best friend. _I caught myself just in time to bite my tongue.

"Pleased to meet you Draco." It felt weird shaking hands with someone I was so used to hugging. It would be like shaking hands with Remus.

"Myra and I have prepared dinner already of everyone would take a seat." Our usual table of four hand been magically enhanced to accommodate our ten guests. Severus sat at the head of the table and I to his right. Lucius sat at the other end, Draco to his right. Throughout dinner Draco kept staring at me, and I had no idea why. When the meal was finally over, I cleared the table and washed the dishes. I was about to retire to my room when Severus stopped me. "Myra, would you mind entertaining Draco while we adults talk?" my gut was saying _Sev that's a terrible idea!_ But like he said you don't say no to a death eater.

"Certainly Uncle!" I said with the biggest and fakest smile I could muster. "Draco, what would you like to do?" I asked him kindly.

"Fly brooms." He replied. _Yes Severus this was by far the worst idea you've ever had. _


	5. Chapter 5

"Flying, Ok." I gulped. Draco and I were on the Slytherin house quidditch team together, we would even help each other practice flying in our spare time, if anyone knew my unique flying style it was Draco. "I should warn you, I'm not very good at it." I lied. We went to the barn to get some brooms. "You can borrow one of Uncle's brooms he won't mind." I said pulling out two cleansweeps from the broom closet in the barn.

"I'm used to a nimbus two-thousand, I don't suppose he has one of those?" I frowned Draco could clearly see my Nimbus two-thousand glistening in the moonlight.

"Well there's one, but then you'll fly much faster than I will, and it won't be much of a fair game, so I was hoping we could both use these." I said holding out the cleansweeps again.

"I've got an idea, since you said you're not so great at flying, how about you use the Nimbus two-thousand and I'll use one of these, my skill is surly an even match for your speed."

"ok.." I said reluctantly. Wizards have a special bond with their personal brooms, it actually makes them fly better which was my real reason for avoiding the use of the Nimbus. We mounted our brooms and Draco "taught" me how to fly. After I "learned" the basics, he began showing off tricks that his best friend alcie has showed him. Draco encouraged me to try some. "No, really I'd rather not, I'd probably fall off!" I laughed.

"What's a matter Myra, are you afraid you can't do as well as me?" That was when I lost my cool. For some reason Draco taunting me always flipped a switch in my brain.

"Alright Malfoy, that's it. I've had about enough of you! I'll show you something that will blow your mind!" I leaned forward to pick up speed, held my broom tight and performed an excellent triple corkscrew in the air, my signature move that Draco was never about to replicate. Smiling I touched back down three feet away from him.

"So how was your summer, Alice?"

"It's been alright, really bor…" I stopped mid-sentence. "Wait did you just call me Alice?"

"Yeah, it's short for Allison. Which is your real name isn't it. You're Allison Potter."

"Malfoy, I don't know what you're getting at but my name is Myra. My-ra."

"Alice I'm your best friend, did you honestly think I wouldn't figure it out?"

"Draco say it with me My-ra."

"Alice, this is ridiculous. You don't have to lie to me, I'm your best friend."

Malfoy you have terrible manners. This is going to be a long night if you don't find some soon." I stalked off toward the barn, Draco grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

"_Read your broom."_ Confused I looked down at the broom in my hand. I smacked myself in the face with my free hand. Shimmering back at me in gold letters were the words "Property of Allison Lillian Potter. _Well this going to be awkward to explain._ I thought. I pulled Draco by the arm into the barn. I cast a silencing charm around us so that no one would be able to hear us.

"If I explain this to you, you have to promise me you will never tell anyone. Not even Emily and Mary." I said.

"I promise." He smiled.

"Draco this is serious. If I tell you, I want you to make the unbreakable vow." I let my proposition hang in the air for a minute.

"Alice even if I wanted to, neither of us knows how to cast it. Plus I think you need a third person to be the one to cast it."

"Remus can do it. He lives next door." Draco's face went from shocked to very serious.

"Alright then. I promise to make the unbreakable vow, now spill it."

"Hold on. First you're going to explain to me how you figured it out even Harry doesn't know, and I knew you were suspicious from the minute you got here today."

"Well I first thought something was up when you defended Professor Snape last year, when we were all calling him bat-brain and you freaked."

"I did not freak!" I said.

"You so did. And then when we got caught flying unsupervised you both kept avoiding looking at each other. When it was the two of us in detention after that I noticed he was a lot harder on you than he was on me. There was also the time with the troll. Professor Snape was the first one to notice you were missing, _not _Professor Lupin."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Loads more. After Granger and Weasley told Dumbledore, and the rest of us eating breakfast in the great hall, about you and your brother trying to get the sorcerer's stone, Snape was the one who raced off to the third floor. And then there was today. When you were introducing yourself to everyone as 'Mya' I noticed a particular silver Sythern necklace. A gift if I do recall." He was talking about his Christmas present from last year of course. Instinctively I reached down and looked at the necklace, instead of the silver and green Slytherin crest I was accustom too, I found the blue and yellow crest of Beauxbatons academy.

"I changed it as soon as I noticed, for fear of anyone else noticing. Particularly my father, who has a much sharper attention to detail than I. We're both lucky he did not notice." I breathed a huge sigh of relieve that no one else had noticed. I gave my best friend a huge hug, glad that he was able to see that tiny detail. He continued on with his story.

"Then I knew for sure when you pulled that triple corkscrew. You're the only twelve year old witch or wizard of that matter, that I know who can pull off a triple corkscrew." I smiled accepting his compliment.

"Ok, so for my part in all if this we have to fly, to Remus' otherwise we'll be detected by the death eaters inside." Draco shook his head in agreement. We kicked off and headed over to Remus' house.


	6. Chapter 6

I knocked lightly on Remus' door. I was nervous as to how he was going to react. Holding my breath I turned the nob. "Uncle Remus It's me!" I called opening the door. He walked out of the bathroom drying his hair with a towel.

"Alice did you have another fight with Sever…us, Draco Malfoy?" He said squinting.

"Yeah. Hi Professor Lupin…" Draco answered awkwardly.

"Draco who is this, and why are you both at my house, furthermore, how did you find my house?" Remus was angry. I stepped forward

"Remus it's me, I know I don't look like me, but it is me, Alice."

"If you're Alice, why don't you look like Alice?"

"Because Severus has a hoard of death eaters over, I can't just walk right up and be like, Hi remember me? You all want me dead! So we created this alternate personality, 'Myra Prince.'"

"If you're Alice then answer two questions for me. One what is my deepest darkest secret?" Well all the other cats were out of the bag, might as well tell Draco this too.

"Remus J. Lupin you are a werewolf." I said matter-of-factly.

"Very good, however there are ways you could find that out. Something only the really Alice would know. What did Dumbledore say when he hired me for the Defense Agents the Dark Arts professor?"

"Hogwarts is in need of a Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, and as we have been going through them rather fast, I'm hoping if I hire two teachers for the position perhaps the children will take a liking to at least one." I quoted.

"Brilliant!" Realization struck, "What are you and Draco doing here? Alice, we just exposed my greatest secret to someone. I had always told you how important it was to keep that a _secret_!" He was starting to shout.

"Remus, please, please calm down!" I exclaimed. "We have something to talk about that's bigger than you being a werewolf!" He squinted at me in disbelief.

"What's that Alice?"

"He knows about me being, well me, and he knows in has something to do with Severus."

"What do you mean?" he looked panicked.

"Well, even though I'm disguised as 'Myra', he figured out I'm really Alice. He had a bunch of pretty solid reasons why." I then launched into Draco's explanation of how he knew it was me. "but what I haven't told Draco, is how exactly Severus fits into all of this. I figured since he already knows, I mind as well explain it to him rather than let him speculate. But he has agreed to make an unbreakable vow never to tell anyone."

"Draco, you do understand that the unbreakable vow is, unbreakable. If you break it you die. The only way to properly break the vow, is if one of the vowers, or the caster dies." Remus cautioned.

"I understand Professor." Draco nodded.

"Well then, let's get you both up here, it isn't doing any one any good standing in the door way." We went upstairs and sat in the sitting room where I explained the whole story to Draco. When I finished Remus turned to us both, are you ready?"

"Yes." We said together.

"Very well, lock arms." Draco and I hold each other and the forearm. We grip each other tightly, both out of fear and anticipation. Remus pointed the tip of his wand at our linked arms and urged me to speak first. "Will you Draco Malfoy, promise never to tell another living thing, other than myself, Remus, or Severus, any of my secrets about my childhood, my guardians, or true identities?" A small thin flame shot from Remus' wand, and twisted itself around our hands. It was extremely hot.

"I will." The linking flame grew warmer. "And will you Allison Lillian Potter swear to always tell me the truth, the whole truth, as long as we both shall live?" Draco asked. A second flame shot from Remus' wand and wrapped around our arms in the opposite direction. The warmth from the flames was beginning to become uncomfortable.

"I Will." I said as the flames grew even warmer still. Remus spoke last.

"And do you both promise to protect each other to the best of your ability, regardless of family heritage, blood content, or side of war?" a third flame shot out of the wand, and I thought for sure the heat would singe my clothes. I gripped Draco's arm tighter.

"I do." We answered together. The flames grew to an unbearable heat, and I was certain I was going to pass out. Before I had time to react there was rush of cool air and the flames disappeared. I flopped forward and landed in Draco's arms. He caught me and helped me steady myself.

"Well that's it kids. Now you both should probably start heading back before Severus starts to wonder where you've gone off too. Alice, I want to be there when you tell Severus, so please bring him here as soon as possible."

"I will thanks again Remus." We flew back home, thankfully the death eaters were still in their meeting. Draco and I continued flying around for about twenty more minutes before the death eaters started to exit the house. Draco and I put our brooms back into the barn and headed over to the house.

"Ah there you two are. Did you have a nice time Draco?" Lucius Malfoy asked his son.

"Yes father. Myra here is an exceptional flyer. She even taught me a few tricks."

"Wonderful. It is too bad she will be returning home soon, otherwise I'd suggest the two of you getting together again." Mr. Malfoy said.

"Well Beauxbatons Academy starts a full week after Hogwarts, so perhaps after Myra gets settled back at home, she could visit our house?" Draco said hopefully.

"Well Severus, how do you think your sister would feel about that?" I chimed in answering Mr. Malfoy instead of Severus.

"Oh Uncle I nearly forgot to mention! Mother wrote me today, and insisted I stay with you another two weeks! I hope that's alright."

"Your _mother_ and I will have a chat latter about her last minute decisions, but if you are still here when the Malfoys wish to extend you an invitation to their home, then yes you may go."

"Well Draco and I must really be going now, we will owl you both with a date then? Come along Draco." Mr. Malfoy took Draco's hand and they disaperated. We waited two hours after all of the death eaters were gone, just to make sure none of them came back, after the two hours had passed Severus transformed me back into myself.

"What was all that about?" Severus asked.

"All what?" I played dumb.

"The bit about your _mother._ The one you only weeks ago reminded me is dead because of me." With all the Draco excitement I have nearly forgotten about the fight I had with Severus.

"I was acting…obviously I haven't talk to my mother. By the way I'm really sorry for what I said, I wasn't thinking, and I was angry and acting impulsively. But uh, hey we have to go over to Remus'"

"You're forgiven, but must we go the Remus' now, I am exhausted. I just wish to sleep."

"it's um kinda important." I said.

"Alice can't you just tell me?"

"No I promised not to."

"Fine. We're not walking." He held out his arm. I have always hated side along aperation, but this was more important than that, so I gripped Severus' arm and prepared to holdback a scream as we spun around. We were back at Remus' and Severus just marched straight in. "Alright Remus, what is it? Allison says this is important and it better be!" I followed quickly behind struggling to keep up.

"Ah Severus, I was expecting you. Please sit down." Remus then launched into the tale of what just happened.

"WHAT!" Severus exploded. "You both were told never to tell ANYONE. Don't you understand what this means? Alice how could you be so careless?" I tried to interrupt his angry ranting.

"Sev, but Sever…SEVERUS!" finally I got his attention. "It's fine because Draco can't ever tell anyone else because I had him make the unbreakable vow with me."

"WHAT?!" he erupted again. "How could you do that without my permission? You understand it is unbreakable? If either of you try to break that vow, you will die. You are tied to each other forever. And who may I ask did you have perform this complicated bit of magic, because I know two first years could not.." The realization hit him and he rounded on Remus. "YOU! We are supposed to be in this together, and you let her go and do something dangerous!"

"Severus listen, it was either I helped them make this vow, or risk the boy telling someone." Remus tried to explain.

"I'm going to see Dumbledore. Alice you are to stay with Remus. I can promise you both any more plotting on either of your parts will be severally punished. He vanished with a loud pop leaving both Remus and I dumbfounded.

"I'm going to bed. At _my _home." I said storming out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

"Alice your book list is here." Remus said as he opened the window and let the Apollo in. Despite storming off last night, I had awakened to find Severus' house empty. This caused me to go searching for him at Remus' house. When Remus realized Severus wasn't home he insisted I stay with him. My little barn owl tumbled through with several letters attached to him. I was already on my way to the kitchen as Remus opened the window.

"More than just the books list it looks." I said reaching for the stack. "A letter each from Emily and Mary. One from Draco probably an invitation to his house, one from Harry _finally_, the Hogwarts letter of course, and a letter from Sirius for you." I handed him his letter and looked over mine again. "Right I'll start with Harry's." I said taking a seat at the table.

_Dear Alice, _

_I hope you're doing ok. I'm sorry I haven't written, but something strange happened to me at the beginning of the summer and I wasn't sure I should mention it to anyone. But then Sirius heard from Remus that you'd gone through to same thing. I'm talking about the elf of course. Anyway thanks to that I didn't get any of your letters. I'm not even sure you'll get this one. I'm sure you and Emily and Mary are having loads of fun. I've been spending a lot of time at Ron's. I've been so busy I nearly forgot to say Happy Birthday! Well hope to hear from you soon. See you in Diagon Alley. _

_Your brother, _

_Harry Potter._

Happy Birthday? "Remus how did Harry know my birthday was coming up? Oh duh! We're twins."

_**Dear Harry,**_

_**Yes I was having the same problem with my mail, but it seems to be working fine now. How is Ron doing? And Hermione? I nearly forgot our birthday too! Happy Early Birthday Harry! See you in Diagon Alley. **_

_**-Alice.**_

I read through Emily and Mary's letters next. They both said the same things. That they had fun visiting Remus and I and that they couldn't wait to come back again. Draco's letter was as I had expected an invitation to visit his house.

_**Miss Myra Prince,**_

_**The Malfoy family wished to extend an invitation to you and your Uncle Severus Snape, in hope that you will visit our house 6 August. **_

_**Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy.**_

_Gee I'd love to, if Sev could bother to come back. _It had been three days since we had told Severus about letting Draco into the family secrets. He wouldn't respond to owls, enchanted parchment, nor summons by Dumbledore. At first it was annoying, but when he did come for Dumbledore I started to worry that something may have happened to him. Remus broke me from my chain of thoughts. He looked concerned as he finished his rather long letter from Sirius.

"Alice, can I see your Hogwarts letter?"

"Sure." I said reaching across the table to hand him the letter. It opened it and read it three times before looking back up at me.

"It appears this year, we will be having an assistant in the charms department."

"And this is as problem because?"

"Well it appears our new assistant professor has requested that all students talking charms purchase his complete works." He handed me the list. "Gilderoy Lockheart."

"Oh my god, there are seven books from this guy alone!" I read over some of the titles _"Voyages with Vampires?_ I think I've heard of that one. If this is who I'm thinking of this Lockheart guy is pretty famous. Severus says his books are all a load of rubbish though, so I've only ever read that one."

"For once I think Severus and Sirius might actually agree. The majority of his letter explains how much he already dislikes the man. The rest of it, about two lines mind you, Sirius asks when we want to meet up to purchase your books."

"How about on our birthday again. Like we did last year. That can be our tradition?"

"That should give us enough time to prepare. Hopefully Severus will have returned by then."

"yeah. I'm gunna go write him and tell him the book list is here. Maybe that will get his attention." I went down to my room and searched for my old parchment.

_**Sev.**_ I waited. _**Severus the Book list has arrived. **_Still no response. _**HELP! I'm being attacked by a herd of death eaters! There are werewolves too!**_ Within seconds his response appeared.

_The number of things that are incorrect with that statement…_

_1. If there were herd of Death Eaters about to attack you, I would know much sooner than you._

_2. No one knows where you live, the few that do are magically prohibited from telling anyone else._

_3. Werewolves dislike humans immensely and would never team up with death eaters. _

_4. Remus is a werewolf and would be able to better protect you from werewolves than I would._

_5. It's not even a full moon._

_6. If there was an emergency you wouldn't have time to write it down. _

_**But I got your attention. **_I wrote back.

_Very well, what is it you want?_

_**When are you coming home?**_

_When you stop acting like a child._

_**I'm not the one hiding from my family and Dumbledore. **_

_I'm not hiding I'm just. _I wrote over his response before he could finish.

_**I'm not hiding I'm just**__** avoiding my responsibilities as a guardian and excommunicating myself from everyone I know. **_

_It's pathetic that you think you're being funny. You can expect me home AFTER your birthday. Before then do not worry I am fine. _The words vanished and our conversation ended. Well it was better than nothing.

July 31st came soon than I had expected, but I was excited to see my brother again. Remus and I waited outside for Harry and Sirius to pull up with the car. When they finally arrived I hopped in the back with Harry. On the way to Diagon Alley Harry and I talked about Dobby. We decided it was probably just someone playing a prank on us, and that we wouldn't worry about it.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ron and Hermione are supposed to meet us at Flourish and Blotts." Harry said as we enter the Leaky Cauldron.

"It'll be nice to see them both." I said as we made our way through the pub to the enchanted brick wall. Sirius pulled out his wand and was about to start taping at the bricks, but he turned to Remus instead.

"You'd better do it Remus, I can never remember that ridiculous pattern." Remus tapped the bricks in a complex pattern, and I could see why Sirius would have trouble memorizing it. As the wall materialized into a giant archway Harry continued on about Ron and Hermione.

"I sure hope we can find them in this mess."

"Oh Harry I'm sure we can, Diagon Alley is only so big!" I regretted that as soon as we walked to the book store Florish and Blotts. There was an absurdly large crowd tying to fight its way inside. "Well it might be a little bit difficult to find them in _that_!"

"I should have guessed that Lockheart has something to do with this." Sirius said referring to a large banner that covered the upper windows of the shop. "Gilderoy Lockheart, will be signing copies of his autobiography _Magical Me, _today 12:30pm to 4:30pm. Fantastic." Sirius finished as he read the banner to us.

"Well at least we'll get to meet the new Professor right?" I said.

"Alice, Harry you can't tell anyone that you know Lockheart's a new professor, Look at the crowd forming just because he's signing books, imagine if they found out he were at Hogwarts?" Remus said.

"Got it." Harry said. "Hey look there's Hermione, and the Weasley family." Hermione and the Weasleys were standing off to the side most likely waiting for us. We made our way inside, Remus and Sirius agreed to stay outside and wait for us. Hermione pointed at us excitedly as we made our way to them.

"Harry, Alice! Happy birthday!" Hermionie said handing us both square brown packages. "It's good to see you both."

"Thanks Hermione. It's nice to see you too." Ron was next to greet us.

"Happy Birthday Harry, Happy Birthday Alice!" seeing Ron up close I noticed a weird shaped scar on his neck.

"Ron what's that from?" I said pointing to it. He rubbed his neck.

"Oh that, it's from last year when the white queen attacked me in that game of human wizards chess."

"Oh." Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came over next, had a small red headed girl holding her hand.

"So nice to see you both again. I'm Molly Weasley, and this is my husband Arthur we met last year on Platform 9 ¾."

"Yes!" I remembered. I was Mrs. Weasley who had taught Harry and I how to get onto Platform 9 ¾.

"And this is the youngest Weasley, Ginny She'll be starting Hogwarts this year." I could tell that Ginny was really shy, her eyes grew big as Mrs. Weasley introduced her.

"Nice to meet you Ginny." Harry said.

"Y-y-you To-o." Ginny stumbled.

"Ginny fancy's Harry." Fred Weasley said as he and his twin George approached us.

"You two ought to be nice to Ginny, she's the only sister you've got." I said. "One day she might get old enough to outwit you both." I could see Ginny smiling from behind Mrs. Weasley at the thought of here outwitting her older brothers.

"Never Happen." The twins said together.

"Don't be so sure boys." Said Percy, the oldest Weasley still at Hogwarts.

"Harry, Alice, nice to see you both. I expect the two of you will not be going on to many wild adventures this year."

"Us? Wild adventures? Why Percy we'd never do such a thing!" I said pretending to be insulted. "Now where can we get our books?" I asked turning to Mrs. Weasley. Before she could answer me, a short irritable-looking man pushed his way through our small group, stepping on Ron's toe.

"Out of the way this is for the _Daily Profit_." The man said charging on.

"Big deal!" Ron called after photographer. A handsome looking man with blond hair and blue eyes, whoi assumed was Lockheart heard Ron and looked up. He then looked from Ron to the rest of us. His eyes locked onto Harry and I like a wolf with its prey. He jumped from his seat and shouted,

"Are those really the Potter Twins?" _Why does everyone always ask that? _I said to myself as every customer in Flourish and Blotts turned to look at us.

"Well come here, both of you!" Lockheart demanded. We did so and Lockheart shook both of our hands with a deathly grip. "Now big smiles you too, this is for the _Profit._" Harry and I glanced at each other over each side of Lockheart. "Together the three of us are worth the front page!" Lockheart chimed again. When the photographer was finished snapping pictures of us, Gilderoy Lockheart addressed the crowd again. "Ladies and Gentlemen what and extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When the young Potters stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they were only here to buy my autobiography-which I will give them both a copy of free of charge." The crowd broke into a loud applause. "However they had no idea that they would shortly be getting more than just my book, _Magical Me._ You see Allison, Harry and the rest of their school mates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen I have the great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Assistant Professor of Charms at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry." The crowd cheered and clapped as Harry and I were each presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockheart. We were finally able to make our way over to the corner of the room where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter?" said a familiar voice behind us. We turned around to find Draco staring us down. "Famous Harry Potter can't even go into a book shop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want that." Said quiet little Ginny. She was glaring at Draco.

"Potter's got himself a _girlfriend_!" Draco said.

"What's your problem Draco? Harry wasn't the only one dragged up there."

"But Allison you'd never go look for fame the way your brother does. He loves getting everything handed to him." Draco said.

"Right because our parents just _give _us everything which is the exact opposite of you Draco. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous." I said. Mr. Weasley came over with Fred, George, Hermione and Ron.

"Come on kids let's go it's too crowded in here."

"Well-well-well-Arthur Weasley." Mr. Malfoy joined in on the conversation. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering.

"Lucius." nodded coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear." said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids…I hope they're paying you overtime?" He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockheart books, a very old, very battered copy of _A Beginners guide to Tranfiguration. _"Ovbviously not. Dear me what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?" Mr. Weasley's face grew red.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Said .

"Clearly." We watched him stare at Mr. and , Hermione's muggle parents. "The company you keep, Weasley…and I thought your family could sink no lower." There was a thud as Ginny's cauldron went flying. has thrown himself at , knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thumdering down on all of us. "Get him dad!' called Fred. was shrieking. The crowded book store stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over. Then a loud voice called out above all the others.

"Break it up, there, gents, break it up-" we all turned to find our favorite half giant Hagrid towing over us all. In one swift motion he pulled Mr. Weasley off of Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy tossed Ginny's Transfigureation book at her.

"Here girl-take your book-it's the best your father can give you." Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned Draco to follow him out of the shop.

"Yeh should have ignored him Arthur." Said Hagrid. "Rotten to the core, the whole family, everyone know that. No Malfoy's worth listening to, bad blood, that's what it is, come on now let's get out of here." We left the shop; Sirius and Remus were still patiently waiting outside for us.

"Harry, Allison why don't you take Hermione and the Weasleys out for ice cream, and finish you're shopping, Remus and I would like to talk to Hagrid, Molly and Arthur." He handed us a large assortment of coins and we headed off. For the most part we continued our shopping in peace, until we went have Ginny fitted for her robes. We watched as Fred enchanted Percy's hair to change color everytime he looked away from the mirror. Every time Percy heard us laughing he would rush to the mirror and Fred would change his hair back to its usual shade of red.

"Alice I don't understand how you can be friends with him." Ron said.

"With Fred?" I asked "We're not that close Ron, but I think he's funny." I said laughing as Percy's hair turned an absurd shade of pink.

"No not Fred, _Malfoy."_ He said letting the last word roll out of his mouth like slime.

"Well not that it's any of _your business _Ron but Draco and I happen to get along well."

"But he hate's your brother. I could never be friends with someone who hated one of my brothers."

"Oh that so isn't true Ron! There are dozens of people who hate Percy, and your still friends with them."

"That's different! Percy's a git." Ron said.

"And Harry isn't sometimes? You know Ron, did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason Draco dislikes Harry is because of the way Harry treats him?" I raised my voice beginning to become annoyed.

"I'm all finished; I'm ready to go home." Ginny announced to us all. We left the store but more or less ignored her as we left the shop.

"Did you ever think that maybe Harry dislikes him because his father's a death eater and wants him dead?" People were beginning to stare, but we didn't care. We were marching down Diagon Alley shouting back and forth.

"And who in the name of Merlin gave you the ability to decide who is a death eater and who is not?"

"Allison you can just tell."

"Ronald Weasley that is by far the stupidest thing that has ever come out of your mouth, and believe me you say some really stupid things. I bet you wouldn't know a death eater from your own mother!" I almost regretting saying that because we had finally reached Remus and the rest of the adults, and I never wanted to insult Molly.

"Oh is that so? I bet you would know Professor Lupin from dog!" That hit a nerve.

"What. Did. You. say.?" Ron smirked.

"I said, I bet you couldn't tell the difference between Professor Lupin and a dog." I pulled out my wand and pointed it at Ron. Everyone took a small step back.

"Take. That. Back. Ronald. Weasley." He pulled out his own wand.

"Only if you swear never to be friends with Draco Malfoy ever again."

"Ronald Weasley for the last time who I'm friends with is none of your business." Ron raised his wand to me and Harry jumped in the middle of us.

"Stop, both of you! First off, Ron she's quicker than you and probably knows more spells than you. Second, she's right it is none of your business who she's friends with."

"Ha!" I said to Ron as we lowered our wands.

"But Allison, Ron is right. You 'ought to pay attention to what kind of friends you have. Malfoy is not a good person, and I'm with Ron on this. If you're going to continue being friends with Draco, then don't talk to me.


	9. Chapter 9

I stared at Harry for a moment. "You don't mean that." I said. He hesitated, but only for a second.

"Actually Alice, I do." Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Harry turned his back to me. I wheedled Harry around. Balled my right hand in a fist and punched him square in the face, breaking his glasses. Ron tried to join the fight, but a swift uppercut to his nose stopped him. It took Fred, George and Sirius to pull me off of Harry.

"Filthy Slytherin." Ron muttered.

"WHAT was that Weasley?" I said turning to him again, trying to break free of my captors.

"Alice, Alice just calm down." Sirius was whispering in my ear trying to calm me down. I whipped my head in Remus' general direction.

"I want to go home. _Now._ And NOT with _him."_ I spat meaning Harry. Remus stuck out his hand. I took it and Sirius let go of me. Fred and George were a little more reluctant, but finally did so with some reassurance from Arthur. Remus pulled me into a tight hug and we disapperated from Diagon Alley. As soon as I knew we were out the sight of everyone else, I practically collapsed into Remus' arms sobbing. We stopped spinning and apperated, I thought at home. I sobbed into Remus' shoulder staining his shirt with my tears. He held me there for a few more moments trying to sooth me by petting my hair, but when he couldn't calm me, he finally pulled away.

"Alison stop." I didn't stop crying, but I did look up at him. "Allison, look at the sky." I looked up, hiding just beyond the setting sun was a full moon waiting to come out. I panicked taking several steps away from Remus. I searched around for cover, I'd never be able to outrun him when he phased, but maybe I could make it somewhere safe before…Suddenly I realized we were outside the gates of Hogwarts. I breathed a sigh of relief at least someone would be able to help me if…"I don't have much time. I've sent a message to Dumbledore. He's expecting you. Go _straight _to his office do you hear me?" Remus said, shaking me at the shoulders. It always made me nervous being this close to him on full moon nights. I nodded my head. Hell pulled out his wand, unlocked the Hogwarts gate, and urged me forward. "Remember acid pops." When the gates closed behind me, I watching him slowly disappear into the forbidden forest.

I did exactly as Remus said, walked through the big wooden castle doors, and straight to Professor Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore's office was guarded by a giant gold eagle. "Acid Pops." I said, the eagle jumped aside and allowed me to climb the stone steps to Dumbledore's office. I knocked on his door.

"Enter." Came a voice from the other side. "Ah yes, Miss Potter it seems your birthday falls on a rather inconvenient night this year no?" He laughed to himself. "Lemon drop?" He said offering me a piece of candy. I took it and unwrapped it before popping the strange candy in my mouth. "We are waiting on someone else, I'm afraid it may be a while, he has not been keen on responding to me lately." _Oh no not him too! _ I honestly did not think I could handle having another fight with Severus right now. I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. "Ah, and since we may be waiting a while, perhaps you would like to take a nap?" Dumbledore asked.

"I would love a nap!" I said as I stood up to head toward the Slytherin dormitories.

"Now, now, there's no reason to go all the way to the dungeons Alice, You are welcome to sleep on the couch in my sitting room. Dumbledore indicated a rather large velvet couch that had already been decorated with my pillow, and comforter from home.

"Thank you Professor." I said as I slumped over to the couch. Almost as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. What felt like only moments later, a familiar potion master's firm hand shook me awake. Seeing Severus for the first time in weeks made me forget all of the things I was mad at him for. I tossed my arms over his neck, and kissed him on the cheek. He smelled of the chilly night air, and a mix of herbal potion ingredients. I rested my head on his shoulder as he hugged me back.

"I missed you so much." I whispered into his long greasy hair.

"I missed you too Alice-Lilly." He then straightened up, and helped me off of the couch. "Come along, we have quite a bit to discuss." I sighed. _I knew you'd say that._ We walked back to Professor Dumbledore's formal office.

"Well Miss Potter please start at the beginning of this whole mess." I explained to Professor Dumbledore about Draco, and the unbreakable vow. Then I explained about telling Severus, and him taking off. Last I ended with today's events.

"You _hit_ your brother?" I couldn't tell if Severus was proud or appalled.

"I was angry. I know it was wrong, but it's wrong for him to ask me to choose between my brother and best friend. Professor Dumbledore, I can't stopped being friends with Draco, I made a vow to always protect him, but I don't want to lose Harry." Dumbledore pondered all of this.

"Severus, I understand you are upset that Alice and Remus went behind your back to make the vow, but I think their intentions were good, and by binding Draco to this promise they have ensured that your family secrets stay secret. You should not have taken off like that. However Alice you're problems are no so easily solved. I knew from the moment Harry and Draco showed dislike toward each other, that you would forever be stuck in the middle of it. It reminds me of another young girl I once knew. This young girl was about your age when she started to develop this same issue. You see this young girl had a best friend who had grown up on the same street as her, though she was muggle born and he was half-blood. They were both accepted to Hogwarts, but when sorting came around the Muggle born girl was sorted into Gryffindor and her best friend was sorted into Slytherin. Of course they were still best friends but the girl soon started to make friends with students in her own house. You know I'm sure about the age old rivalry between Slytherins and Gryffindors." He paused.

"Well these two students hated each other perhaps more than Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryfindor themselves, but this young witch with her golden heart would try her whole life to set aside their differences. They finally did, but unfortunately it was too late for the three friends to enjoy it, because two of them died, leaving the third alone. Only when the two died was the third able to see past their own hatred." Dumbledore smiled.

"That's so sad." I said. I thought about the story, replaying it in my head, then realization hit me like a freight train. "It was you!" I said to Severus. "The Slytherin in the story, was you wasn't it." Severus could only nod.

"Yes, this story is about Severus, your mother, and father. When Remus told me what happened today I could only remember back them. I believe, and this is only speculation, I believe Severus was angry with you making the unbreakable vow with Draco, because it reminded him of himself and Lily so long ago. Severus I called you here because she needs you. Alice is going to need all the help she can balance Harry and Draco. I see so much of you in Draco, and so much of James in Harry, as I know you do. Please help her."

"Are you suggesting that she do as Lilly and I did, and hide our friendship so as to convenience the others?"

"If that is what you think is best." Was all Dumbledore said. "Now I should like to retire to bed, I would like you both to stay in the castle, as least tonight."

"Of Coarse headmaster." We grabbed my pillow and blanket and headed to Severus's chambers in the dungeon. "You may stay in my bed; it's much too soft for me anyhow. I'll sleep on the couch." Severus when we reached his chambers.

"Sev, why did you hate my dad?" I asked.

"He took away more than my best friend Allison. He…" the word _he _hung in the air for a moment or too. "It was a long time ago, nothing worth bringing up now. Bedroom is that way." He said pointing to a stone door behind his desk. I pushed hard on the door and it swung open. I was about to pass through the other side when Severus called to me. "Alice- Lily, I will always be here for you. The worst part of losing someone is feeling like you have no one to turn to. I just want you to know I will always be here for you, even when others turn their backs to you." I smiled.

"Love you too." I whispered as I shut the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 11 Malfoy Manor **

I woke groggily the next morning. I rolled out of Severus' over-decorated canopy bed, and stumbled into his office. He was behind the desk reading the morning _Profit._

"How did you sleep?" I asked. Sitting in one of the chairs across from him.

"I didn't." He answered. At first I thought he was joking, but I searched his face, his eyes were red and puffy with bags under them. It looked as if he hadn't slept in days. "What's wron.."

"It's nothing. Nightmares, of the first war." He said casually trying to brush it under the rug. But I knew him better than that, Severus never lost sleep from "nightmares of the old days." Something was wrong, but I was finally on his good side for the first time in months I didn't want to pry.

"It's too bad we can't just stay here for the rest of the summer." I said trying to change the subject.

"We could actually. All Professors have that privilege. Naturally in order for you to stay we'd have to include Remus of course. Remus, I had almost forgotten about him.

"Have you heard from our favorite werewolf this morning?" I asked.

"Yes actually. He insists the two of us get some quality "bonding" time before he will "allow" us to return home." Severus said actually using air quotes to emphasize his point. "In the meantime, I believe we were invited somewhere."

"We were?"

"Yes I believe we were both invited to visit the Malfoy family at Malfoy manor. I RSVP's that they should expect us both there promptly at 6 pm."

"Yeah but that's not till the 6th of August. That's days away."

"Not when you have to learn proper wizard educate."

"There's such thing as wizard educate?" I asked.

"Certainly." He replied very seriously. "And the Malfoys being a rather wealthy family, will expect you to execute perfect educate."

***6 August***

Malfoy manor was way bigger than any of the homes Severus had taken me too.

"Wow this must be at least a third the size of Hogwarts castle." I said.

"Oh please Myra it is not _that _big. Beside you've never been to Hogwarts castle." Severus said, but I could tell he was jealous.

"You're right uncle. I imagine it is much large than the Beauxbatton's one." I said trying to keep up the act. Severus knocked on the door, I held my breath as it swung open. A cheery little house elf greeted us.

"Please inform Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy that Mr. Severus Snape, and Miss Myra Prince have arrived." Severus said to the timid elf. The elf invited us inside as we waited. A few minutes later a tall witch with interesting hair greeted us. Her hair was black on top, and platinum blond underneath.

"Ah, Severus so nice to see you again. " She said taking Severus' hand. "And who is this young enchantress? Why it can't be that niece of yours that you speak of so often?" I stepped in introducing myself.

"Good evening Mrs. Malfoy, I am Myra Prince. It is so nice to meet you." I said shaking her hand.

"I have heard so much of you from Draco, Lucius, and Severus. You seem to make quite the impression young lady. I can see why. Your manners are impeccable." She said. "Now shall I escort you to the dining room?" She did just that. "Severus, you're to sit here with Lucius, and Myra you are to at the other end with Draco, if that is alright."

"That would be perfect Mrs. Malfoy." I was glad at any opportunity to sit as far away from Lucius as possible, he gave me the creeps. Draco pulled out the seat next to him, waited for me to sit down and then pushed the chair in.

"It is so nice to see you again Myra." I was still mad at Draco for his attack on Harry a few days ago, and we hadn't spoken since, but I had to remember that I was playing a role. So I smiled and complimented him.

"The same to you Draco. I hope the summer has been kind to you." After dinner Lucius spoke to us for the first time.

"Draco, Why don't you and Myra run along while mummy and daddy talk with Professor Snape?" _What a condescending… _my thoughts were interrupted by Draco's response.

"Certainly father. Come along Myra." I stood, and took Draco's outstretched and we exited the dining room. Draco lead me through several hallways, and I made sure we were well out of the adults' earshot before speaking.

"Draco, what sort of protective charms does your house have?" I asked.

"IF you're worried about people hearing what we say, we best go to my room, it's the only place I'm certain they can't hear us." He said leading me through another series of hallways. We paused at his door. I released his arm from my grasp as so he could open the door. Once we were inside, and the door was shut behind us. I gave my best friend as huge hug. Then I slapped him across the face. "Ow!" He said rubbing his jaw. "What you do that for?"

"The hug was because I've missed you to pieces, the slap was for all that crap about Harry at the bookstore. Thanks to you, he won't talk to…" My thoughts were interrupted by a loud Pop.

"Master Draco, Dobby has heard that you are having guest, he wanted to know if you are needing anything." Dobby? Realization flickered across my face, I tried to mask it but I was certain Draco saw it.

"No Dobby, please leave us alone."

"Yes young master." With another pop the house elf was gone. I glared at Draco.

"You ass!" I said. "That was you who sent him to my house! I've been freaking out for months thinking someone is trying to kill me, and it was you the whole time." I started ranting and pacing the room franticly.

"Allison please listen to me." He grabbed me by the shoulders to get me to stand still. "Yes I sent Dobby to warn both you and your brother this summer. I know my father is up to something. I just don't know what. I started that fight with Harry at the book store hopping to keep him away from Hogwarts. I am worried about you both. Now that I know about Professor Snape, I feel confident that he will protect you. Harry though…Alice I think Snape hates Harry more than I do! We've got to work together to protect him." I knew what Severus would say about this, so I decided not to tell him.

"Draco you really went through all this trouble to keep us safe?"

"Yes." I hugged him again.

"You are the best friend I could ever ask for!"

"Just Promise you won't tell anyone." He mumbled.

"You want me to promise not to reveal the best of you?"

"I don't want everyone to think I've gone soft. Think of who my father is." I could kind of see his point.

"Alright. I won't tell anyone…Uh Draco, I think that when we're at Hogwarts this year, we're going to have to pretend to hate each other." I then told Draco about the fight with Ron, and everything Dumbledore told me. "You'll always be my best friend, but I need Harry, Draco." Draco nodded in understanding.

"I'll always be here for you Alice. I promise, not matter what we will always be friends. You don't have to worry."

"Thank you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 12 Change**

"So as always I will ask if any of you have suggestions for my start of term speech, Professors?" Dumbledore was addressing the Hogwarts Professor. The usual five long tables had been replaced by one large circular one that all the professors could see each other at. I was sitting between Hagrid and Remus as we ate lunch.I was chopping away the corners of my grill cheese as Severus gave me a stop-being-unlady-like-at-the-table look. I put my grilled cheese down and tried to focus more on the conversation at the table. We had been at Hogwarts since the night we visited Draco's house. As a result of Harry and I fighting, Remus and Sirius were apparently also not talking. It sort of made me feel guilty, but I knew things would be set right tonight when Harry and the rest of the Hogwarts students arrived for the start of term feast. Remus seemed glad to be near people after being alone for so long. Hagrid seemed to also not care much about the table conversation as I watched him fill his goblet for the tenth time with some sort of drink. Flitwick was chirping cheerfully to Sprout about how excited he was for the coming year. When lunch was over their teachers began to drift off to their respective parts of the castle. I tried to respectfully flee fight the sight so as to avoid speaking with Gilderoy Lockheart, who had taken to asking me ridiculous questions about defeating Voldemort as a baby. Just as I was half-way clear of the room, Dumbledore stopped me. "Miss Potter, a word." I rolled my eyes. _So close. _

"Yes Professor?" I asked wheeling around. He reached me in four short strides. He leaned down and whispered into my eye.

""Perhaps since the other students will be arriving tonight you should move your things to your dormitory?"

"Yes Professor." I took off to do just that.

The first years had been sorted, the food had been served, Sirius had joined the rest of the Professors at the staff table, and yet there was still no sign of Harry and Ron. I checked the Gryffindor table for what felt like the hundredth time. Still all I found were Ginny, and Hermione look as worried as I felt. I pulled out my tatter piece of parchment.

* * *

><p><em>Later that night<em>

_**Still no sign of them. Are you sure there's nothing we can do? **_ There was a loud crash, and the crackle of tree branches. Severus and Remus exchanged a knowing look.

_Found them. _Severus said as he undetectably slipped out of the great hall. He finally returned, holding Ron and Harry by the back of their robes. The two escaped to the Gryffindor table before anyone else could see them. _It appears they have arrived by flying car. _

_**Are they going to be expelled?**_ I scribbled. _It would serve them right._

_Unfortunately not. _ Severus replied.

"Oh Potter, looks like you're brother's found himself another way to shine above all of us." Draco said, his goons Crabb and Goyle laughed beside him. We had practiced this fight over and over again; as soon as the opportunity arose we would act it out. For once I was glad my idiot brother had messed up so early on.

"You know Malfoy, I have had about enough of you." I said raising my voice so that other Slytherins would hear.

"What's a matter Potter? Can't take a joke? Everyone knows your brother is as dim witted as a troll."

"Take that back Draco Malfoy!"

"Never." I whipped out my wand.

"Take it back or I'll tell everyone about your secret." It was clear enough that the entire great hall was staring at us. Even the Professors had stopped conversing to listen in.

"As if you don't have secrets of your own!" Draco said pulling out his wand. "Or should tell them all about.."

"Draco you promised!" I cried. I snuck a glance at the staff table Severus and Dumbledore were both in on our plan, but they were trying their best to fake surprise. I looked down the line at the Professors faces, a mix of surprise and interest on all of their faces. It was Remus though we had won the contest of reactions. He was not let in on the plan, because I knew all of the students would be looking at him when the fight came to. We needed Remus to be shocked and horrified, which is exactly what he did.

"I've changed my mind." Remus lost it completely, as we had expect. He jumped up from the staff table and marched straight to us.

"Draco, Allison that is quite enough. Wands away." Draco and I ignored him, and kept our wands pointed at each other. "I said wands away." He said flicking his wand causing both of ours to go sailing into his hands. "Now both of you finnish eating, after the meal I want you _both_ in my office."

"Why so you can take sides with her, just because you're her guardian?" Draco asked.

"Draco just because you're a judgmental pig it doesn't make everyone else one."

"Potter you want to talk about judgemental? Aren't you the one who said that Professor Snape is a vampire, who terrorizes schools just to kill off students one bad grade at a time?" I have never said this, and Severus knew that so he was not offended in to least, but judging by the faces of the other Slytherins they couldn't tell.

"You are the lowest form of life Draco Malfoy. I never want to see your stupid son-of-a-death-eater face again!" I said, and ran out of the great hall pretending to sob. I could hear Mary and Emily getting up to chase after them, thankfully Remus stopped them.

"Oh no, we don't need you two getting involved in this." I knew I had about 20 minutes before Remus would come looking for me himself. I had to use that time wisely. Thankfully Dumbledore had given me the Slytherin password earlier that day so; I could enter the common room. I headed over there then. I then looked for the Draco's dormitory. When I found it I slipped inside. Took a piece of old parchment from my pocket and placed it inside his trunk, atop his Quidditch robes. With a piece of newer parchment I wrote:

_**Draco. You know what this is. Use it well. –Myra**_ I checked the time. I had ten minutes to make it to Remus' office before the feast ended. I left the common room, and ran up the stairs two at a time. I shut his classroom door just before Ravenclaw house passed by. I walked up the curvy stone steps and entered his office. I waited about ten minutes before Remus dragged in Draco by the ears. I jumped up from my seat and hugged Draco.

"We did it!" I shouted excitedly.

"I know! I didn't think we'd be able to convince them, especially Professor Lupin." Remus looked from me to Draco and back again.

"You kids planned this?"

"Yes." I said. "I'm sorry we couldn't tell you. After the incident at Borgan and Burks Draco and I thought it would be best if we pretended not to be friends anymore. We were counting on you reacting exactly as you did, so we couldn't tell you about our plan."

"I was so worried! I thought you would both break your vows…and Severus and Dumbledore seemed so calm, they weren't worried at all…_They Knew! _They knew and they didn't tell me."

"Remus they couldn't it would have ruined the plan. Now Draco and I can be friends, and Harry and I will still be able to get along."

"This is going to be hard for both of you. You understand that don't you?" Remus asked.

"Yes, we've thought about it, and we've decided it's what's best for everyone."

"Well, you have my support, you both need to get off to bed, please try not to get too much into the hate side of this. If this is what the two of you can come up with as friends, I'm afraid to see the divided forces."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Enjoying breakfast? **_It was an enchanted parchment note from Draco.

_**Would be better if we were 'speaking'.**_ I wrote. _**Em and Mary are really upset that we're not friends. They keep trying to get me to talk to you. **_

_**I've always liked those two. At least your friends have more than half a brain between the two of them. **_Since Draco and I had been "fighting" he had resorted back to hanging out with Crabbe and Goyle by far the two dumbest students Hogwarts has ever seen. _**Check out Weasley. **_I glanced over at the Gryffindor table to find Ron shakily holding a bright red envelope.

_**Is that?**_

_**A howler? Yeah. By the way this enchanted parchment thing is so bloody convenient. I'm so glad you thought of it. **_Just then a loud shout burst through the great hall.

"STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET A HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT GONE." Everyone was staring at Ron, his ears got red from embarrassment as the howler continued. "LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED! ABSOLUTLY DISGUSTED-YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQURY AT WORK AND IT IS ENTIRLY YOUR FAULT. IF YOU SO MUCH AS PUT ANOUTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!" The great hall fell into an awkward silence as the Howler burst into flames. After breakfast we had herbology with the Gryffindors. Mary, Emily and I took the work station next to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Is it true you got in a fight with Malfoy?" Harry asked happily. Emily butt in for me.

"Harry you were there, I don't know why you're asking. And while we're talking about things no one asked about, I think you're being incredibly insensitive. How would you feel if Alice told you she didn't want you 'round Ron, and then the two of you had a row. Would you want to talk about it?" She turned her back to him and mouthed to me 'I got your back girl." I laughed Emily always knew how to make me feel better.

"Alice?" I looked back over at harry.

"What."

"I'm sorry."

"forgiven." Was all I said, but he knew I meant much more than that. "It's nice to be in the greenhouse and not have a killer headace." I added mostly to myself. Professor Sprout them explained to us that we would be re-potting mandrakes. The roots of which looked like earthcolored newborn babies. After Herbology we headed over to Charms. Lockheart was trying to teach us "lumos" a spell that would put a light at the end of your wand.

"Alright everyone please take out your wands." Lockheart said. "Mr. Weasely what's happened to your wand?" Reveriing to a the mangled pieces of wood, barely head together by its core.

"The Whopping Willow, sir."

"Ah yes well, do try to be careful with it." By the end of class everyone except Ron had mastered "lumos."After charms we headed to lunch. While eating lunch our large Slytherin team captain Marcus Flint came up to us.

"Potter, quidditch practice starts in two weeks. Don't forget." I smiled.

"Can do Marcus." It'll feel good to get back on my broom. At during quidditch Draco and I would be expected to behave, so we could let down our guard. To be truthful, it had only been one day and I was exhausted from pretending to hate Draco. _**Two weeks will not go by soon enough.**_ I scribbled to Draco. I then switched parchments and wrote a quick note to Severus. _**This double agent stuff is harder than I thought. **_They're response was exactly the same, causing me to laugh out loud.

_**Tell me about it.**_

_Tell me about it. _Dumbledore was right, it was scary how much they were alike. The two weeks did pass cripplingly slow, but there was a smile on my face the first Saturday I was able to pull on my Quidditch robes. I pulled out my parchment.

_**Walk down to the pitch together?**_ I asked Draco.

_**No.**_ I sighed, as hard I as thought this was going to be, it had turned out to be harder on Draco. Over the past two weeks his responses has gotten shorter and bitterer.

_**Alright see you soon then. **_I left my room and headed down to the pitch. I was the first one to arrive, so I hopped on my broom and started working on some new flying tricks. I stopped when I heard a ruckus below me. Emerald and Scarlet darts were shouting back and forth. I stood between the two sides. "What's up?" I asked to no one unparticular.

"Gryffindor's trying to sabotage our practice!" Flint shouted.

"That is not true. We've signed off the pitch with Professor McGonagall's permission." Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor captain said as he handed Flint the papers.

"Well I've got one from Snape as well. I secured the pitch the first day back." Flint added handing his slip to Wood.

"There's got to be a way to settle this equally and fairly." I said. "How about this, Wood you and the Gryffindors take the field for the first half hour, and the Slytherins will take it for the second half hour. That way we both get practice in. Next time we'll just have to make sure the professors check with each other."

"I think that's an excellent idea Allison." Said Hermione who was standing on one side of Harry, Ron on the other.

"And who asked your opinion mudblood?" Everyone gasped. A mudblood is the worst name you can call a muggle born witch or wizard, it means bad blood.

"Uh Draco that was a little uncalled for." I said trying to get him to tone down the act.

"Oh really _Potter?_ And just when did you become my mother? Never? Good then shut your filthy trap." Draco said.

"I. Hate. You. Don't ever speak to me again Draco Malfoy. As of this moment you and I are not friends, and I'm not pretending. No, I never want to hear your voice, even if it kills me." I ran off urging my feet to go as fast as they would carry me. There was only one person I wanted to talk to, I didn't care how many rules I was breaking, I just wanted Severus to hold me and tell me everything was going to be alright. I burst into his potions class with my hair flying about.

"Why Miss Potter, is something the matter, or are you trying to disrupt my class out of shirr boredom?" Severus asked trying to play off my outburst, but I knew that he could see in my eyes that I needed him. I was panting after running, my chest felt heavy like it would cave in at any moment. I was gasping for breath when I blurted out to a room full of fifth years, "Draco Malfoy called Hermione Granger a mudblood." Suddenly everything was fuzzy. I could see Severus going in and out of focus. I blamed these symptoms on a combination of my running, and the fumes from the potions, but I had never had a sever reaction to potions the way some people did. I soon realized, it must have something to do with the vow I had made with Draco. Amongst the kaos of my symtoms Remus' words swirled back to me. '_And do you both promise to protect each other to the best of your ability, regardless of family heritage, blood content, or side of war?' _I had broken that promise, and I was going to suffer for it. My body could no longer stand the strain, I collapsed into Severus' arms, and everything went blank.


	13. Chapter 13

_Harry_

"I think that's an excellent idea Allison." Hermione said to my right. Ron nodded his head in agreement on my right.

"And who asked your opinion mudblood?" Everyone gasped. A mudblood is the worst name you can call a muggle born witch or wizard, it means bad blood.

"Uh Draco that was a little uncalled for." Alice said sticking up for Hermione. _It was more than 'a little uncalled for' Alice, but at least you're on the right side. _I thought, but Draco couldn't just leave well enough alone.

"Oh really Potter? And just when did you become my mother? Never? Good then shut your filthy trap." Draco said. For a brief second Alice was on the verge of tears, but in true Alice fashion, she didn't get hurt, she got mad.

"I. Hate. You. Don't ever speak to me again Draco Malfoy. As of this moment you and I are not friends, and I'm not pretending. No, I never want to hear your voice, even if it kills me." She ran off inside the school, probably to see Remus.

"How Dare you!" Ron said as he plunged his hand into his robes and pulled out his wand "You'll pay for that one Malfoy." I smiled as much as Ron fought with Alice and Hermione they were as much sister to him as Ginny was. As Ron flicked his wand though, I remembered, it was broken. Before Hermione or I could stop him the spell was cast and there was nothing we could do. A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him toppling to the grass.

"RON!" Hermione and I yelled. Ron opened his mouth to try and respond, but instead he coughed up a stream of slugs. The filthy Slytherins laughed their heads off. "We'll take him to Hagrid's" Hermione said. "It's closer than the castle." I nodded and we each half carried Ron down the hill to Hagrid's hut.

"Bin wondering when you'd be coming ter see me-" Hagrid said as he answered the door, to which Ron promptly vomited slugs all over Hagrid's threshold. "What's happen' to him?" Hagrid asked. I quickly explained to Hagrid everything from the double booked stadium to Ron's wand backfiring. "Well better out then in I always say. Not to worry Ron it'll wear off in a few hours." Hagrid reassured.

"Just think," I said to Ron. "By the time you've stopped coughing up slugs it'll be time for our detentions for flying that car."

"What does Professor McGonagall have you doing?" Hermione asked.

"Well she's got Ron polishing trophies," as if the mere thought of spending time with filtch sickened him Ron promptly ejected another load of slugs. "And I'm to answer fan mail with Lockheart." I rolled my eyes. He wasn't really a bad guy, just rather full of himself. It was about lunchtime when Ron finally stopped vomiting slugs and we said our good-byes to Hagrid.

* * *

><p><em>Draco<em>

"I think that's an excellent idea Allison."Granger said, she was always butting her head into other people's business, I was tired of it. After all who was she to tell us what to do? She barely even understood the concept of quidditch.

"And who asked your opinion mudblood?"I asked bitterly. Everyone around me acted shocked. _Oh like you've never heard it before. _I thought.

"Uh Draco that was a little uncalled for." Alice said sticking up for Hermione. I was getting pretty irritated with her too. Since we had a agreed to pretend not be friends, it was so easy for her to pretend like I never existed. Some best friend. I doubt she ever even missed me.

"Oh really Potter? And just when did you become my mother? Never? Good then shut your filthy trap." I said, expecting her eyes to show that I-know-you-don't-mean-that look she had been giving me for two weeks. Instead when I glanced into her eyes I could have sworn I saw sadness, and then anger. She began shouting.

"I. Hate. You! Don't ever speak to me again Draco Malfoy! As of this moment you and I are not friends, and I'm not pretending!" _What does that mean?_ I thought. Surly she couldn't mean we were done for real? This was part of the act. "No, I never want to hear your voice, even if it kills me." _Even if it kills me._ The words echoed around my head as I finally understood, she did mean it. Alice ran off towards the castle I could see her eyes glistening with tears. I tried to go to her but Potter's Ginger friend Weasley jumped in front of me.

"How Dare you!" Weasley said as he searched his robes for his sorry excuse of a wand."You'll pay for that one Malfoy." I rolled my eyes. _Not if you're using that thing._ Weasley pointed his wand at me and muttered something. A jet of green light shot out the wrong end of his wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him toppling to the grass. Harry and Granger rushed to his aid while the Slytherin team laughed at Weasley's misfortune I used the chance to slip back into the castle. I assumed the first place she would go would be Professor Snape, but he was over protective of Alice, and if she was with him, there was no doubt in my mind there would be violence. So instead of heading down to the dungeons I ran up to the Defense Agenst the Dark Arts room, knowing they did not teach classes on Saturdays.

"Professor, I may have done something terrible!" I said as I burst into the office.

"So I've heard." The man behind the desk was not Professor Lupin, or Snape, but instead it was Professor Black, behind the desk reading the _Prophet._ "Professor Lupin said you might come by looking for him. He also said that if you did come, to tell you that he is at the Hospital wing."

"Thank you Professor." I called over my shoulder as I raced out of the classroom. I held my breath as I pushed open the giant wooden doors to the Hospital Wing. If Alice died, I'd never forgive myself. I doubted anyone else would either.

"Mr. Malfoy, you are the last person who should be in here right now. Please leave." Said Madam Pomfry as she tried to force me out of the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy it's alright. I've asked Draco to come here." Said Professor Lupin stepping out of a small room. "We're in her ." I sucked in more air as I approached to small room. Waiting inside were Professors Snape, Lupin and Dumbledore. Laying on the bed was Alice. She had gone so pale in on the few minutes it had taken to get her here. Here usually birght eyes were now closed, even her hair was less healthy looking. I looked to Professor Lupin, the least terrifying face in the room.

"Is she…" I couldn't bring myself to say dead. _Alice you can't die, I won't let you!_

"No Draco. At least not quite. We can sense that there is a bit of magic still left in her. I think it is because even though Allison is angry with you, there is still a large part of her heart that wishes to believe your friendship can work out. What she needs in more magic in here blood to revive her, and then once that happens the damages in your friendship need to be repaired or I'm afraid she will die." Professor Dumbledore answered me.

"How can she get more magic in her blood?" I saw a gleam in the old man's eyes.

"There is only one way to add magic to blood. The blood in the body must be mixed with someone who shared a special bond with the body in question." It bothered me that Dumbledore kept referring to Alice as "the body." "This special bond is usually a parent. Which you know are unavailable. However it could also be any other close bond. Professor Lupin is unfortunately unable to do this as the magic blood must be of the same species, as he is half were wolf this would pose a problem." I couldn't listen to him go on like this anymore.

"I'll do it." They all looked at me in shock. "Look the more time we spend talking about it the less time we have to fix her."

"Well if you insist." Dumbledore conjured a chair and had me sit in it. Professor Lupin then sat on the side of me and held my hand as Dumbledore used his wand to draw out a stream of blood from me. It hurt more that I imagine an open wound would. I ground my teeth to keep from screaming as I watched my blood rise into a column and hover over Alice. Professor Snape was holding Alice's hand as the blood was forced into her own arm. Professor Lupin began to treat my wound as I watched Alice begin coughing uncontrollably.


	14. Chapter 14

There was nothing. It felt as if years had passed by. I was still existing, but feeling, seeing and hearing nothing. Then all at once, it came rushing back to me. I could hear Remus gasp; there was a large pain in my arm. I tried to squeeze my hand into a fist but someone had their own hand tightly encasing mine. I squeezed down on their hand. Next thing I knew I was coughing, violently. My whole body shook with the force of the coughs. Finally I was able to stop coughing and focus on the room around me. The hand that was wrapped around mine belonged to Severus. He made a large exhale as if he had been holding his breath for days. I rubbed my eyes. Professor Dumbledore was standing behind Severus with a watchful eye. "How long have I been out?" I asked them. But the reply came from my right side.

"Only a few hours." I turned my head weakly to see Remus bent over someone else, he was wrapping up their arm. He Remus moved away revealing the last person I ever wanted to see in my life.

"Get him out of here!" I gasped pointing at Draco.

"Now, now Allison is that anyway to treat the person who just saved your life?" Dumbledore asked. I looked from Draco to Dumbledore confused.

"Sorry what?" I looked to Severus. "Did he just say save my life?"

"Yeah He did." Draco said and then looked away awkwardly.

"No one asked you to safe my life." I said.

"Actually they did. See you might not care about yourself, but Professor Lupin and Professor Snape do." Draco said standing now. "Alice I'm sorry about what I said to Granger. I realize now it was wrong. You have to understand Alice when your parents raise you to hate all living things; it's hard to find care about others." He took my free hand into his, I tried to pull it away but he held it tight. "Over the past year I've learned something from you Alice. You've taught me how to care. I thought I lost you today. It was the worst feeling in the word…" I interrupted him.

"Oh cut the act Draco." I spat.

"Alice-Lily, I need to tell you something." I turned to Severus, yanking my hand out of Draco's grasp. "It's about the last fight I had with your mother." I watched Severus' eyes go misty and I could tell his mind had drifted into a far off memory. "It was right after I had finished taking my Defense Agents the Dark Arts O.W.L.S. I walked behind your father and his friends as we exited the exam." I looked to Severus as he too remembered the day. When we had reached the lake your father thought it would be funny to make me levitate high above the trees. They taunted me as a floated there. I tried desperately to break free, but there was nothing I could do. The there was a voice 'Leave him ALONE' it was your mother. You're father then made a great effort to mock both of us. Claiming that my existence was worthy of torment. Your mother tried to help me, but the more she did, I grew embarrassed." He watched me gauging my reaction. "The words came out before I could think about it. 'I don't need help from a filthy mudblood like you.' She ran off crying and never spoke to me again. Two years later I joined the death eaters. Years later I lost your mother and we never spoke again." I could see him begin to tear up. "My point is this, Draco is trying to do something I was never brave enough to do. He wants to fix his mistakes and address the fact that he has a problem. Don't let your feelings blind you. Draco is your best friend and he needs you as much as you need him. That's all I'll say about the matter." I looked to Remus wondering what he had to say on the matter.

"Now I don't know everything about magic." He looked up at Professor Dumbledore as if to imply that the older man _did _know everything about magic. "But I think, that by having Draco donate his blood to you, Professor Dumbledore has released both of you from your unbreakable vow." Professor Dumbledore said nothing to contradict Remus' statement. "That being established, perhaps the two of you ought to consider attempting your friendship, one more time?" I couldn't help but admit to myself that Severus and Remus were right.

"Draco, thanks for saving me." I smiled.


	15. Chapter 15

Twenty minutes later Draco and I walked out of the hospital wing together. "So what do we tell everyone?" Draco asked.

"Well I suppose we can't have your parents know, because they want to kill me. So maybe we should keep this a secret."

"I don't like all this secret stuff. It drives me crazy."

"Well we can tell some people. We can tell Emily, and Mary, and…"

"We have to tell Harry." Draco said coming to the decision on his own.

"I agree." I heaved a heavy sigh. "Alright let's get this over with." Harry was probably getting out of his detention with Lockheart so we headed over to the charms classroom. As we rounded the corner I could hear someone whispering. _Come to me. _"Did you hear that?" I asked Draco.

"Sorry hear what?" He asked confused.

"Nothing I guess." _Let me rip you._ "There it was again!" Draco looked around the deserted corridor.

"There's nothing going on Alice." _Let me tear you. Let me kill you! _I let out a shriek. "Alice is everything alright?" Draco asked.

"Alice!" I heard Harry call from down the hall. "Alice what's wrong?" Harry stepped out of the charms classroom and came into view. "Malfoy." Harry said eyeing Draco suspiciously. "I suppose making her cry once wasn't enough." Harry added talking out his wand.

"Put that thing away Potter. I think something's wrong with your sister."

"Maybe you're what's wrong, Malfoy."

"AH!" I screamed out in frustration. "That is it. I'm tired of the two of you always fighting. Can't you at least pretend to get along? For my sake?"

"Alice, I was just trying to protect you. Last I knew you said you didn't ever want to speak to Draco again, even if it killed you." _I did say that, didn't I?_

"Well that was before…" _before what Alice? Before you tried to break an unbreakable vow, and nearly died? _"Before Draco saved my life." I said. "I've been sick for a while Harry, and I nearly died. But Draco gave me some of his magic, and now I'm fine." Harry looked concerned but understanding. He seemed to think about this for a moment. Then he thrust his hand a Draco, I thought for sure he was going to curse him, but instead Harry was asking for a handshake.

"Truce?" Harry questioned. Draco shook his hand, then the two retreated from each other as if they had touched something wicked. "You really saved her life?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you." An awkward silence grew between the three of us until Harry added "Hey, Malfoy if you ever do anything to hurt my sister again, I'll do more than curse you into coughing up slugs."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Draco smiled.

Harry said he was heading off to bed after such a long day. We said good-bye and Draco and I decided to look for Emily and Hermione who Harry said were in in the library. _I smell blood. _It was the mysterious voice again. _Alice you're acting crazy. There is no voice. _Out of the corner of my eyes I peeked to see if Draco was reacting to the voice. _I SMELL BLOOD!_ I was trying to calm myself but after two feet Draco flung his arms out in front of me, and them pointed to the wall. "Look." Draco said. Something was written on the wall, in scarlet letters.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware." I read. Then I noticed a strange shadow on the wall. "What's that thing hanging there?" I pointed.

"It's Mrs. Norris. Filtch's cat." Draco gulped. Dinner must have just ended because a crowd began to form in the hallway. Everyone was staring and pointing. The students in the library were disturbed by the noise and came to investigate the commotion. Emily and Hermione fought their way through the crowd and reached us.

"What's going on? What's happened?" It was Filtch, he entered the corridor from the opposite side. "You've murder my cat!" Filtch said pointing out the four of us. "You killed her, and now I'll kill you!" He lunged forward, but before he could reach us Dumbledore appeared with Severus and Lockheart at his side.

"Argus!" Dumbledore called in a commanding voice. "Miss Potter, Miss Granger, Miss Smith, and Mr. Malfoy if you'd be so kind as to follow me to…"

"My office?" Lockheart said offering up his office.

"Thank you Gilderoy. Yes follow me to Professor Lockheart's office." When we reached Professor Lockheart's office Dumbledore spoke. "She's not dead Argus."

"Not dead? Then why is she all stiff and frozen?" Filch asked.

"She has been petrified, but how I cannot say." Dumbledore said. I could tell he was thinking.

"Ask them!" Filch said pointing at us.

"No second year could have done this. It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced sort. Therefore I believe the children were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now as for Mrs. Norris, we can revive her. There is a Mandrake Restorative Draught. I believe the second years are working on growing Mandrakes in the greenhouse?" Dumbledore looked to Draco, Hermione, Emily and I. We nodded in agreement. "Ah very well then, as soon as the Mandrakes have reached their full size I will have the potion made to restore…"

"I'll make it!" Lockheart chimed in. "I have done it hundreds of times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restoration Potion in my sleep!"

"Excuse me!" Severus sneered, "But I believe I am the potions master at this school." An awkward silence grew as Lockheart and Severus glared at each other. A stupid smile plastered on Lockheart's face.

"Children, perhaps you should go." Dumbledore said. I wanted to stay to watch Severus curse that grin off of Lockheart, but decided it was better to listen to Dumbledore.


	16. Chapter 16

Three weeks later, it was the morning of the first quidditch match. A game that was always reserved for Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. It was always the most attended game during the whole quidditch season. That used to be because of the age old rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, but since Harry and I had each joined our house teams it had turned into a more interesting battle, Potter vs. Potter. Harry had beaten us last year, and there was no way I was letting that happen again. The two captains shook hands reluctantly. After what had happened on the pitch the other day there was still a lot of bad blood between Flint and Wood. The keepers flew off to their respective goal posts, the whistle was blown and the game began. A small fleck of gold and a light buzzing passed just to the left of my ear. I whipped my broom around, chasing after the snitch.

I looked around for Harry. He didn't seem to be noticing me at all. _This is going to be a short game. _I thought. I kept looking for Harry as I reached out my hand for the snitch. Inches from the snitch I finally locked on to Harry. He was being chased by, no it couldn't be, Harry was actually being chased by a bludger! I probably would have found it funny if it weren't for the fact that every time Fred or George whacked the bludger away it came soaring right back for Harry's head. "Draco!" I called down to him. He was hover some ten feet away from Harry, and he too noticed the rouge bludger.

"I'll see what I can do!" He called up to me going to the aid of Fred and George. Still nothing the three of them did was any good. It wasn't a fair game, I knew the Gryffindors would try and blame the Slytherins for cheating, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn't stand watching Harry, Draco, and the twins fighting the bludger any more. I reached out and caught the snitch. The whistle was blown again, and all of the players had to immediately stop playing and touch down. Apparently no one ever told the rouge bludger that. Without the beaters to defend him, the bludger struck Harry knocking him off his broom. Harry tumble to the ground some hundred feet. Clutching the snitch in my hand I dove down three hundred feet soaring towards Harry. Four feet from the ground I hopped off and tossed my broom aside.

"Harry? Can you hear me?" I asked on the verge of tears, he was breathing but in shallow empty breaths. One of his arms was clearly broken, it was mangled and the bone was sticking out. If it weren't my brother I probably would have vomited right there on the pitch. Harry sat up, his eyes closed.

"How bad is it?" He grunted.

"Your arm? Pretty gruesome bro. You're doing better than I think I could." Both teams had gathered around Harry and I now. A few other familiar faces seemed to be standing around, Ron, his sister Ginny, her friend Luna, and Emily among them.

"Excuse me. Please let me through." I rolled my eyes. _This guy again. _The voice was soon joined by a set of too-white teeth, and too-blond hair. "Harry I'll fix you right up." Harry tried to fight off Lockheart, but really what can you do when you're in agenizing pain and your arm is broken?

"Professor I really would rather go so Madam Pomfrey…"

"Non-sense Harry that won't be necessary. Madam Pomfrey is very busy, why I'm right here." Harry looked to me for help. I shrugged.

"What can it hurt Harry?" Harry reluctantly handed his arm over to Lockheart. He muttered something and then Harry's whole arm went limp.

"Yes well sometimes that can happen…Miss Potter perhaps you and the Weasley twins should accompany your brother to the hospital wing." Fred and George each tossed one of Harry's arms over their shoulder and started toward the castle.

"You should have taken him straight to me!" Madam Pomfrey raged. Harry was going to have to stay overnight to regrow his bones.

* * *

><p><em>Harry<em>

I woke to a loud pop to my left. The last time I had heard that kind of a noise was when…_oh no. _I opened my eyes to see a house elf. Not one of the usual Hogwarts ones either, no it was the same one who had pestered me over the summer.

"Dobby! What are you doing here?"

"Dobby warned Harry Potter. Dobby warned Miss Alice too, but Harry Potter and Miss Alice did not listen to 's young master tells Dobby that Miss Alice will be safe, but that Harry Potter is still in great danger. Why didn't Harry Potter go back when he missed the train?"

"Hold on, how did you know I missed the train?"

"Dobby promised his young master he would keep Harry Potter safe. Dobby tried to stop Harry Potter from coming to Hogwarts, when Dobby failed, he hoped to injure Harry Potter so that Harry Potter would go home."

"You tried to kill me!"

"Donny did not intend to kill anyone, only maim or seriously injure."

"Dobby it the reason why you're trying to get me to leave Hogwarts have anything to do with the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Dobby must go now." The house elf disappeared as fast as he had appeared. I sighed, there was nothing I could do but go back to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

"Alice have you seen this?" Mary asked pointing to a poster hanging in the common room. I walked over to where she and Emily stood and read the poster aloud.

"Professor Gilderoy Lockheart and Professor Snape would like to invite all the students of Hogwarts dueling club." A familiar hand was on my shoulder as I continued reading. "The first meeting will be this Wednesday, promptly at 6pm in the Great Hall. That's tonight!"

"Lockheart and Snape running a club together? I'm joining just for that. It'll be a laugh!" Mary gave Draco a sideways glance.

"Why's that?"

"Come on I can't be the only one who's noticed those two hate each other. They don't exactly try to hide it."

"I've noticed it too. At the beginning of the year I thought Sirius was gonna be the one who fought with Lockheart all the time, but they haven't had much contact throughout the year. Professor Snape on the other hand, seems to have some sort of a competition going on with Lockheart." I thought for a moment. If anything I ought to go to make sure Sev didn't obliterated Lockheart in front of a large gathering of students. "Alright, I'll go too. It can't hurt 'for one of the saviors of the wizarding world to learn some good dueling moves right?"

"Come on guys we can talk about this later, if we don't head out soon, we're going to be late for potions. Then we won't have to worry about Lockheart vs Snape, It will be Snape vs. us!" Emily exclaimed pulling Mary and I by the wrists, Draco followed faithfully behind us. The lesson went really well, Severus had us brew a hair lengthening potion. He said it was difficult but even Harry and Ron were able to make a passable batch of it.

When six o'clock finally rolled around everyone seemed pretty excited. I was starting to worry. Saying that Lockheart and Severus' teaching styles were totally different would be a complete understatement. We all filed into the Great Hall and looked around. The usual five long tables had been replaced by a large stage like structure upon which stood both Severus and Lockheart. When it seemed like no one else would be coming in Lockheart addressed the crowd.

"Hello everyone! Hello!" He greeted as he flashed his bright white teeth at us. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Severus sneering. I snorted trying to hold back a laugh. He glared in my general direction. "As many of you know I am the famous Professor Gilderoy Lockheart." A large group of girls behind me giggled. I rolled my eyes as he went on, "Now I'm sure you're all wondering why the great Gilderoy Lockheart needs an assistant…"

"Not all of us." Severus muttered. Causing a loud cheer from myself and most of the Slytherins. "For those of you who are wondering, Professor Lockheart is only an assistant Professor and is therefore incapable of advising a school club on his own. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to assist him so that Professor Lockheart may have his little dueling club. Mind you dueling is not something that is to be taken lightly. To those of you who are here for a tea, and friendly chatting you will be disappointed." Severus added in his gloomy tone.

"Thank you very much Professor, perhaps we should get started then?" Lockheart asked. "Professor Snape and I will now demonstrate a duel for you. On the count of three we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that." Harry whispered in my ear. I hadn't notice he, Ron and Hermione behind us until then. I smiled and waved to each of them, then we turned our attention to Severus and Lockheart again.

"One-" Lockheart began.

"Two-" Severus counted.

"Three." Lockheart added.

"Expelliarmus!" Severus cried out sending Lockheart's wand flying. Lockheart himself was tossed off his feet and landed, hard.

"Ah yes very good Professor Snape." He said adjusting himself. "That was a disarming charm. As you can see, I've lost my wand." Hermione handed it back to him. "Ah thank you Miss Granger. I think that is enough demonstrating, let us see what you've got. Professor Snape and I will each pick a student and that will be you partner. First up a natural talent I'm sure, Miss Potter."

"Very well, I choose another student from my house, Draco Malfoy. He himself shows promise with jinxes." Draco and I mounted the stage at either end smiling at each other.

"Scared Potter?"

"You wish Malfoy."

"On the count of three I want you to disarm your opponent, disarm only."

"One." Draco began.

"Two."

"Three." Draco had assaulted me with some spell, and my head was spinning. I knew Draco had done it all for fun, but apparently the others didn't.

"Oh you'll pay for that Malfoy. Rictusempra!" A jet of silver light shot from my wand and hit Draco in the stomach. He doubled over.

"That's it Potter!" He said smiling. _I said disarm only_ Lockheart shouted trying franticly to reach us. We shot a few more spells back and forth. Draco and I began to breath heavily as we dodged the jinxes and hexes.

"Serpensortia!" A large cobra appeared from nowhere. I didn't know how to enchant it away. I searched my brain through the library of spells I had leaned…then the snake turned away from me. In a matter of seconds it looked from me and straight at Harry.

"Draco do something! Make it stop!" I shouted. The other students began to scream.

"I can't! I don't know the counter jinx!" The whole room seemed to be in a trance starting between Harry and the Snake. Out of pure instinct I began to shout at the snake.

"Leave him alone!" Almost as if the snake could understand me, he stopped staring at Harry and began to slither away. Severus mumbled "Vipera Evanesca." And the snake disappeared. The entire room was staring at me, I waited for their cheers, but instead I was greeted only by shocked and horrified faces. Even Harry's face was twisted into a confused grimace.

"Miss Potter, Professor Lupin's office, now." Severus said through his teeth. He sounded angry so I didn't argue. I just turned and marched to Remus' office. I didn't even bother knocking, I flung open the door and plopped down in the chair across from him. He smiled and looked up from grading essays.

"What did you do this time?" He asked summoning two tea cups full of steaming hot tea.

"What makes you think that I did something wrong?" I asked taking the cup he offered me.

"You only ever come visit me at school when you're in trouble or angry with Severus. Which usually means you're in trouble if I may add." He took a sip from his tea, and the glanced down at his pile of essays. "Well Alice if you're only here to chat, I must tell you I'm very busy grading first year essays." He returned to his work and we sat in silence. Sirius walked into the office. He was searching the book shelves for something.

"Remus where did we put the book on defensive spells, Hermione wrote something in her essay we didn't talk about in class, and I just want to make sure her facts are correct. Though Hermione is probably perfectly correct…Oh hello Alice, in trouble again? Are you trying to beat your father's record? You do know he didn't literally live in detention."

"Why does everyone assume that because I'm in Remus' office, I'm in trouble? Can't a girl visit her guardian is peace?"

"Because you never just visit Remus. You usually only come in when that great big bat is punishing you for something. Anyway I found my book." Sirius took the book he was looking for and headed back to his own office.

"What. Was. That." It was the great bat himself with Draco standing at his elbow.

"Sirius was looking for his book." I answered sipping my tea.

"Not the dog, the _snake_." Severus spat.

"That was weird wasn't? It was like the snake could understand me!" I laughed. "It was like I was speaking parseltongue or something."

"Allison you were speaking parseltongue." Draco said concerned.

"That's absurd! All I said was 'Leave him alone' you both heard me clear as day."

"Yes we both heard you, because we are both parseltonue Draco and I are both from families where the parseltongue gene is common. The rest of the people in that room do not. Therefore they do not speak parseltongue, and did not understand you. People are even saying you are the heir of Slytherin." That got Remus' attention. He looked up from his work and started from Severus to me.

"Severus surely that isn't possible!" Remus exclaimed.

"Of course it's not. In order for that to be true, Lily or James would have to have some relation to Slytherin himself. I know for certain Lily didn't."

"And I've met James' family. They are certainly not any relation to Slytherin."

"However the problem does not lie with whether or not Alice is the heir of Slytherin, it is instead, how do we prove it to the others?" Severus said gloomily.

"Dumbledore will believe us, that's a start right? If we have three Professors and Dumbledore on my side they'll have to at least consider it right?"

"I'm not sure Allison but it's a start." Remus said hopefully conjuring up more steaming tea cups. As I helped him pass them around he added, "See I told you, you only come to my office when you're in trouble."


	18. Chapter 18

After the dueling club incident I dedicated all of my free time to trying to find out more about the heir of Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione, Mary and I spent all the time we could in the library, but like the Sorcerer's stone, all literally evidence of the chamber had been removed. Frustrated and disappointed I had decided to give up for the time being. Hermione on the other hand, would not be so easily moved.

We were sitting in History of Magic, and I was practically falling asleep on Draco's shoulder as Binns droned on about troll wars or something. Hermione raised her hand and waived it above her head. Because Professor It took everything Hermione had to break him from his stupor. "Ah yes, Miss…"

"Granger." Hermione answered, lowering her arm. "Professor I was wondering, if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets." Professor Binns blinked then tried to marks his shock.

"My subject is History of Magic. I deal with _facts_ Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat and then continued droning on about the troll wars. Hermione wouldn't be shut down that easily. She waved her hand frantically in the air once more.

"Yes Miss Granger?" Binns sighed.

"Please sir, don't legends usually have basis in fact?"

"Well, I-I suppose that's true..." The whole class was now hanging on Binn's every word. A first in his career I think, "Oh very well, let me see the Chamber of Secrets…"

"You all know of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago-the precise date is uncertain-by the four greatest wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much Persecution." For the first time I didn't yawn when Binn's was talking, I found myself practically sitting on the edge of my seat. "For a few years the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to educate them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more _selective_ about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of muggle parentage, believing them to be trustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school." Professor Binns looked around studying us.

"Reliable history sources tell us this much," He said "But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the chamber of secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were worthy to study magic." He voice changed back from mystic to No-non-sense.

"The whole thing is arrant non-sense of course." He said. "Naturally the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale to frighten the gullible. Now back to the Troll wars…Oh dear god what now Miss Granger!"

"Sir what do you mean by 'horrors within'" Hermione asked.

"That is believed to be some monster, which the heir of Slytherin alone can control." The class exchanged worried looks. Professor Binns looked annoyed and he shouted out in frustration "I tell you the thing does not exist. There is no chamber, and no monster." Anouther hand shot in the air, and for the first time it wasn't Hermione's instead it was Mary's.

"But sir, if the chamber can only be opened by Slytherine's true heir, no one else _would_ be able to find it, would they?"

"non-sense. If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing-"

"But Professor," Spoke up Parvati Patil, "You'd probably have to use dark magic to open it."

"Miss Patil just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic, doesn't mean he _can't._ I repeat if the likes of Dumbledore…"

"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore wouldn't…" Ron tried to explain but Binns interrupted.

"That will do!" he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not even exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to _history_ to solid, believable, verifiable _fact_!" Professor Binns continues his lesson as he had originally planned and next thing I knew Draco was waking me up at the end of class. We followed Harry and Ron out of the class.

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted loony, but I never knew he started all this pureblood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the sorting hat had put me in Slytherin, I would have taken the train straight home." Ron Said, as Harry nodded his head in agreement. I cleared my throat behind them. Both boys turned and looked at me, clearly they hadn't known I was behind them.

"Not everyone in Slytherin is a dark wizard Ronald. And do I need to remind you both that a certain brother of mine almost _was_ in Slytherin? If he hadn't of begged like a baby to be put in Gryffindor, you might all think _he _was the heir of Slytherin." I said heading off to potions.

At dinner that night I noticed Hermione was not with Ron and Harry, nor was she sitting with Fred, George, and Ginny and the other end of the table. I wrote a quick Parchment message to Severus, who had a much better view of the Gryffindor table from his seat at the staff table.

_**Do you see Hermione at the Gryffindor table?**_ I watched him study the table. He seemed to glance up and down it several times before responding.

_Miss Granger appears to be absent from dinner this evening._

_**Cover for me? Love you. **_I responded, and then I sent a similar note to Draco. Between the two of them I was guaranteed to be covered. I slipped out of the great hall and began to look for Hermione. I check the girl's bathroom first, having flashbacks of the last time Hermione had been missing from a dinner. It had been last Halloween and I had entered the girl's bathroom to come face-to-face with a mountain troll. This time luckily all I encountered were loud wails from an out of service stall. They were much too loud to be Hermione's, but I knocked on the stall anyway. Through it, (Literally through the door) came the ghost known to us girls as "Moaning Myrtle." Nicknamed so because she was so often found crying in various bathroom stalls.

"Oh, Hello Myrtle. I was looking for a friend of mine, but then I heard you crying, and I had an Idea, and well…"

"Well what?" Myrtle asked harshly.

"Have you noticed anything funny going on? Because a cat was attacked near your bathroom a few weeks ago and well I-I-I was just…"

"I wasn't paying attention. Peeves had upset me that night, so much I came here and tried to kill myself. Then, of course I remembered that I'm…Well that I'm…"

"Already dead." I finished for here. Myrtle gave a heavy sob and dove back into her stall. _Alright then._ I thought to myself. It was getting late and someone would surely notice my absence. I Slipped undetected back into the Great Hall, or so I though. I was just about to put a forkful of cheesecake into my mouth when Professor McGonagall appeared beside me.

"Miss Potter, I've been looking for you." _I was afraid you'd say that._ I tossed my fork on the table and stood up. "Follow me please. You too Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Thompson." The three of them shot me a _Alice what did you get us into this time_ looks and I felt them staring daggers at my back as we exited the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were waiting outside of the Hospital Wing, and our rather large group of six entered the infirmary. "This may come as a big of a shock to you all. There was another attack." She led us over to a bed blocked by curtains. As we approached the bed Professor McGonagall moved the curtain out of the way and a familiar face was lying motionless in the bed.

"Hermione!" We all gasped. "Can any of you explain this?" She asked holding up a mirror. We all shook our heads no. "Very well, you may all visit Miss Granger tomorrow, but for now I will escort the Gryffindors back to their tower, Slytherins Professor Snape is here to escort you back to your common room. It didn't feel right leaving Hermione alone, but there was no way I was going to argue with Professor McGonagall. Severus growled like a bear as we approached him.

"I am sorry to hear about your friend Miss Granger students. She will be a great loss to your class." I knew this was Severus' way of trying to be comforting without blowing his cover, but it sure didn't feel very comforting. As we were lead to the common room, I saw that the rest of the Slytherin house was waiting there for us. Severus addressed the house, reading from a large scroll. "All students will return to their house common room by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities. That is all. Goodnight students." He turned to exit the common room, I chased after him trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Professor!" I called. He looked down at me a scowled.

"Yes Miss Potter?"

"Professor Snape, I'm sorry to bother you but is there any way you could escort me to Professor Lupin's office? I desperately wish to talk to him." I hoped that he understood my underlining request, knowing that I couldn't just walk up to him and say _hey Sev, I'm totally freaking out right now can I sleep in your room, and have my Death Eater daddy protect me from the big scary monster? _Thankfully my double agent guardian had perfected the art of interpreting people and knew exactly what I meant.

"Yes Miss Potter that will be fine. I'm sure _Professor Lupin_ would enjoy your company, and wouldn't mind talking to you about Miss Granger's accident." I followed him into his chambers, when the doors were safely sealed behind us I ran to his arms and began to sob. After what felt like hours Severus pulled away from me. "Well would you like to talk about this or are you going to cry all night?" There were hundreds of things I wanted to say at that moment but the only thing I could get out of my mouth was another tearful cry. I pulled myself back into Severus' comforting robes and wept. At some point I fell asleep, and Severus carried me into his bed.


	19. Chapter 19

I woke late the next morning. There was a note next to me it Severus' elegant handwriting. I picked it up and read it. _Hope you slept well last night. I woke you a few times to check on you. You seemed to have slept free of nightmares. I have spoken with Dumbledore, you have been granted permission to sleep in late this morning. Something I'm sure you have taken full opportunity of, however do try not to make a habit of missing my class. Remus will be coming by soon to escort you to your next class. See you at lunch. –Severus Snape. _For a man who 'disliked' children, he sure did try awful hard to take care of me. Maybe it was like Sirius had said, maybe Sev only cared for me out of guilt. Well whatever his reason I was glad he cared. I showered and dressed in the same uniform I had worn yesterday, hoping no one would notice. Even if they did, I had just lost one of my best friends, the least they could do was allow me an outfit repeat, right? About an hour after I had woken up there was a soft knock at the door. I didn't want to open it, out of fear of it being another student.

"Alice, it's me, Remus." A familiar raspy voice whispered into the door. In the bes impression of Severus' voice I could conjure, I spoke to the door.

"Remus Lupin, how many horses do I own?" I wanted to make sure it was really Remus behind the door, for all I know it could be the heir of Slytherin.

"Four. Severus, in my opinion what is the greatest potion invented?" _good one._ I thought to myself. Clearly that was something only Severus, Dumbledore, Sirius and I would know.

"Wolfsbane." I answered sure of myself.

"Correct. Now Alice will you let me in." I laughed, turning off my voice impersonation charm, I opened the door.

"Hello Uncle Remus." I said giving him a big hug.

"Hello Alice. Come on we best be getting you off to class." We said our goodbyes at the door of the charms class room. No one said anything to me as I took a seat between Harry and Draco.

"Ah yes class, welcome, welcome, due to last night's unfortunate incident with Miss Granger, we will no longer be able to have our dueling club, and so I have decided to use our class time once a week to practice instead. You will pair off with partner as practice disarming only." Professor Lockheart said encouraging us to pick our partners.

"Be my partner Alice?" Draco asked.

"As long as you promise not to conjure any more snakes." I laughed.

"Why, the great heir of Slytherin should be able to tackle a little snake." I expected that comment to have come from Dean Thomas, or Cormac McLaggin, but I realized it was my own brother who had said it. He hadn't meant it in a playful way either.

"What did you mean by that Harry?" I asked.

"You know what I meant Allison. Just admit it." I was fuming.

"Ok Harry first off if I was the heir of Slytherin, that would make you an heir too dipstick. Hello we're twins! Plus I'm fairly certain we aren't related to any of the Hogwarts founders, let alone Slytherin. Also if I were the heir, why would I petrify Hermione? Honestly Harry I don't believe you!" I picked up my things and stormed off to the girl's bathroom. My own sobs were drowned out by Myrtle's.

* * *

><p><em>Ron<em>

"Wow. Someone's a little overdramatic." Harry said as his sister ran crying from the room.

"Potter you just accused your sister of being a murderer, I think she has every right to be upset." Malfoy interjected.

"No one asked you Malfoy. This is all your fault. If my sister wasn't hanging 'round you all the time, people wouldn't suspect her. So why don't you do us both a favor and leave her alone?" _Why isn't Lockheart doing anything?_ I asked as the entire class continued staring.

"Potter I don't control who your sister is friends with, but I think it's pretty clear _you're_ the one who ought to leave Alice alone."

"Alright gents break it up break it up." _Finally_ I thought. "Mr. Weasley could you please escort Harry and Draco to Professor McGonagall's office?"

"Sure…Uh Professor, can Emily come with me? That way there will be two Slytherins in case Malfoy gets sent to Snape?" I asked.

"Yes, yes but please hurry up." We all exited the class room together.

"Thanks Ron. I'm going to look for Alice." Emily said as she headed off to the girls bathroom.

"I'm going see Snape." Malfoy said and he slinked off to the dungeons. That left just Harry and I.

"You believe me don't you Ron?"

"Harry, Alice's got a point, if she's the heir, that makes you an heir too. And you can't be an heir of Slytherin if you're in Gryffindor. So I think it's impossible for her to be the heir. I think you might be letting your hatred towards Malfoy finally get the best of you."

"Well if you're going to take her side then, I'll head off to McGonagall myself." He headed off leaving me alone in the hallway. I figured there was nothing I could do but help Emily look for Alice. I was able to catch up with her and Alice as they left the girls bathroom.

"I suppose you're here to tell me that you agree with my brother, and shout at me about upsetting him. Well don't." She turned away from me and started pulling Emily after her.

"Wait Alice! That's not what I'm going to say!" The girls slowed down allowing me to catch up.

"What then?" She asked exasperated.

"I was going to say I think you're brother's be a right git. I don't think you're the heir of Slytherin, and I know Hermione doesn't either. Harry's trying to convince us for days, and then with Hermione gone…It's just not the same."

"Well I'm sorry you're in the middle of this. Seems its always one of us caught up in Harry's schemes."

"Yeah. Come on I'll walk you both to lunch." We walked to the great hall together just as we ere about to go to our separate tables Emily Handed me a book.

"Ron we found this in the girl's bathroom, Alice is certain it's Ginny's will you give it to her please?"

"Um, sure." I said taking the book awkwardly. I headed over to the Gryffindor table and sat across from Fred and George as far away from Harry as possible.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Ginny asked as she sat beside me.

"He thinks Alice is the heir of Slytherin, like almost everyone does. He's being a right git. Who would think their own sister to be a murderer? I'd never do something like that to you Gin."

"Yeah, I'd definitely never be a murderer." She added awkwardly, I could tell she was trying to change the subject when she asked "What's that in your hand?"

"Oh it's a diary the girls found in the bathroom, they asked me to give it to you, they suspect it's yours." I handed it to her, her eyes grew wide with fear as she looked it over.

"Oh Ron this can't be mine, look at the date on it." She pointed to the gold letters on the diary's face, and for the first time I noticed the year 1943 printed on the front. "Oh your right! Sorry about that." We didn't talk the rest of lunch but I caught Ginny staring at me from the corner of her eye every few moments. After lunch I was off to, surprisingly the library to study with Alice and Emily.

* * *

><p><em>Alice<em>

"Ron didn't we ask you to give that to Ginny?" I asked pointing to a small leather bound diary.

"I did! Or at least I tried! She said it's not hers though. The weird thing is the pages are empty, but it's from 1943." Ron said handing me the diary. I flipped through the pages, and sure enough they were all blank.

"Keep it." Ron said reading my face.

"Thanks" I said tucking it away in my bag. We headed into the library because Emily and Ron desperately needed to finish their potions essay, and with Hermione gone I was nominated their official study buddy.

_**Alice? **_

_**Draco? **_I wrote. Checking to make sure Ron and Emily were both engrossed in their essay.

_**You and Emily need to come to Slytherin Common Room Quickly. Mary needs you something's wrong and she wont say.**_

_**Be there in a flash. **_"Em, Can we go back to the common room, I uh.." I couldn't let Emily know I had communicated with Draco secretly, no one could know about our enchanted parchment. "I left my potions book in my room."

"Oh Alice you can borrow mine!" Ron said offering me his.

"Sorry Ron I'm looking for a special one that Remus gave me it'll really help with the essay." I was packing my things as I spoke, rushing I really needed to get to that common room. Emily could tell by my urgency that it was something more important than just a potions book. " Ron can you do me a favor? Please check on Harry? He may be a git, but he's still my brother."

"Sure thing Alice." He said looking confused. I ran out of the library with Emily following after.

"Alice slow down what's going on?"

"I don't know, I just know something is wrong." That was the truth right? We entered the common room to see Mary sobbing on Draco's shoulder. Thankfully no one else was around to see.

"Draco, bring her into our room." I said as he led Mary to our dorm. We sat her on her bed, and Emily brewed some tea. Finally I asked, "What's wrong Mary?" She didn't say anything. Instead she handed me a letter.

_Mary, _

_We've heard about all of the __incidents__ with the Hogwarts students, and we have decided it is no longer a safe place for you to continue your education. You will be transferring to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, effective immediately. –Love always, mum and dad._

"Oh Mary!" I exclaimed giving her a hug. "Is there any way we can changed their mind?"

"No, when I got the letter I went to Professor Lupin, Dumbledore flooed my parents and they won't budge!"

"When do you leave?" Emily asked sitting on the bed beside her.

"Tomorrow." She sobbed. "I won't even get to say good-bye to Hermione!"

"Mary I'm sure once Dumbledore fixes this whole Chamber of Secrets thing we can get them to allow you to come back." I said trying to be positive.

"Yeah!" Emily agreed.

Our dorm was uncomfortably quite the next morning. The three of us couldn't look at each other without tearing up. When all of her things were packed up Mary turned to us, tears filling her eyes.

"Promise me you'll both write to me all of the time?" She asked.

"Of course we will! Promise you'll visit Remus and I this summer?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Well then, I guess this is it." Emily said. We walked Mary to the main entrance hall where Dumbledore was waiting with Mary's parents. We gave Mary one last hug and said our good-byes. Why does it always seem to be when I fight with Harry I lose my best friends?


	20. Chapter 20

I decided to skip breakfast. Even though I knew the Great Hall would be full of students, it just felt so empty with Mary there. So I headed back up to my room. I picked up the old diary Emily and I had found yesterday, I flipped through it and noticed every page was blank. _This must have been in the bathroom since Myrtle was in school._ Severus kept a journal. He said it helped him let go of a lot of things. I didn't understand it, but I was willing to try.

_**25, November. **_

_**My Name is Alice Potter, and today one of my best friends was transferred from Hogwarts to another school because of the stupid "Chamber of Secrets." **_ When I finished writing, the words disappeared the same way they would when I would use my enchanted parchment. Obviously I knew that meant the diary was magical, but I hadn't known what kind of magic it had contained then. Just as with my enchanted parchment new letters began to form in place of mine.

_Hello Miss Alice. My name is Tom Riddle, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. If you don't mind me asking, how did you come by my diary?_

_**I found it in the girl's bathroom. Someone had tried to flush it down the toilet. **_

_Luck then, that I have recorded my memories in something more lasting than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who did not want this diary read._

_**What do you mean?**_

_I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts. _

_**I am at Hogwarts. Tom, Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?**_

_Of course I do. In my fifth year the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students and finally killed one. I caught the person who's opened the Chamber and he was expelled. _

_**That is happening again. Can you tell me who the person was who opened the Chamber last time?**_

_No._ I was about to toss the book away in frustration. "Tom" probably didn't know a single thing about the Chamber of Secrets…._But I can show you._ He wrote as I went to slam the book shut. A beam of light shot from the book and I was sucked into it. I looked around to see I was in Dumbledore's office, though guessing the time period it wasn't quite Dumbledore's yet. A boy about sixteen entered the office. I noticed he had a silver prefect's badge like Percy Weasley's.

"Ah Riddle." Said the headmaster behind the desk. _Huh so that's Tom Riddle. He's kind of cute._

"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" Riddle asked.

"I've just been reading your letter you sent me." Dippet answered.

"Oh?"

"Surely you know my dear boy that I cannot allow you to stay at school this summer. Wouldn't you rather return home?"

"No." Tom answered almost immediately. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that-that…"

"You live in a muggle orphanage I believe?" Dippet seemed curious.

"Yes sir."

"The thing is Tom," Dippet said sighing. "Special arrangement might have been made, but in the current circumstances…"

"You mean all of the attacks sir?"

"Precisely. My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be…"

"What if it was all stopped? What if the person doing the attacks was caught?" Riddle jumped in. Professor Dippet eyed him suspiciously.

"Do you know something about these attacks Tom?'

"No sir." It was clear that Riddle was lying.

"Well then you may go Tom." I thought this would be the end of the memory, but I was still there, so I followed Riddle out Dippet's office. I followed him to Severus' classroom in the dungeons. I thought He would lead me to the secret chamber, but instead it seemed as if Riddle was waiting for someone. Sure enough a large figure snuck past the door about a half-hour later. Riddle jumped out from the door.

"Evening Rubeus." He said accusingly. I looked past Riddle to see our favorite half giant's younger self. _Hagrid?_ "It's over Hagrid." _Well that's absolutely Hagrid. _"I'm going to turn you in. They're talking about closing the school if the attacks don't stop."

"What d'yeh.."

"I don't think you meant to kill anyone Hagrid, but monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and…"

"It never killed anyone!" Riddle pulled out his wand and pointed it at a large wooden box that Hagrid was holding. The memory dissolved and I was back in the Slytherin common room about to be late for charms. I sat down on the side of Alice and Ron. _**We need to see Hagrid tonight.**_

_**Why?**_ Ron wrote back.

_There's no way they'll let us out of the castle. Not with everything going on. _Emily added.

_**He knows something about the Chamber of Secrets. And as far as getting out…Invisibility cloaks. Ron do you think you can get Harry's? **_

_**Yeah. I'll knick it from his trunk during dinner. **_

_**It's settled then. We'll meet in Myrtle's bathroom after dinner.**_

_Yeah, no one goes in there on account of her wretched crying._

* * *

><p><em>Later that Night<em>

Ron Emily and I waited until a large crowd had exited the Great Hall, shielded by the crowd we tossed the cloaks over our heads. Emily and I clinging together, Ron and Draco under the other. We walked quickly down to Hagrid's hut and Ron knocked anxiously on the door. When Hagrid opened the door we came face to face with a crossbow pointed at us. We shriek as we pulled off the invisibility cloaks off.

"OH it's you lot." Hagrid said lowering the bow. "Come in, come in."

"What is that for?" Ron asked indicating to the bow.

"Nothin'-Nothin'-I've been expectin'-It doesn't matter come in."

"Expecting what death eater?" I asked ask we squeezed past Hagrid to get in.

"Are you alright Hagrid? Have you heard about Hermione?" It seemed like such a silly question, everyone had heard about Hermionie. Then I understood what she was doing. Before we could continue talking though, there was a sharp knock on the door.

"Under the cloaks, all of yeh. Last thing we need is you lot getting expelled on account of me." The four of us exchanged a look before running to the opposite side of the house and tossing the cloaks over us.

"_petrificus totalus" _I mumbled, making the boys immobile. If anyone was going to do something rash, it would be those two. The knock on the door had apparently come from Dumbledore. He entered looking dead9'ly serious, followed by a very old-looking man. The old man had ruffled grey hair, and was wearing a pinstriped suit, a red tie, and purple pointed boots.

"That's dad's boss!" Ron said. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!" _You should have casted a silencing charm. _I thought to myself. Our attention returned to Hagrid, who had now gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs.

"Bad business, Hagrid." Said Fudge. "Very bad business, had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never!" Hagrid burst out, looking anxiously at Professor Dumbledore. "You know, I never Professor Dumbledore."

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." Professor Dumbledore added to Fudge.

"Look Albus," Fudge said uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's agents him. Ministry's got to do something, the school governors have been in touch-"

"Yet again Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest." Dumbledore added impatiently.

"But look at it from my point of view; I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something, I've got to take him." Fudge rebutted.

"Take me where?" Hagrid asked trembling. "Not Azkaban?"

"For a short stretch only, not as a punishment but a precaution, if someone else is caught you will receive full apology." Fudge said sternly. Before anyone could do anything else, there was a loud rap on the door, which Dumbledore answered. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut and Emily and I shot Draco a questioning look, which he could not see.

"Already here Fudge? Good, good. Professor Dumbledore, the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension-you'll find all twelve signatures. I'm afraid we feel you've…lost your touch. Two more this afternoon wasn't it? At this rate there'll be no more muggle-burns left at Hogwarts and we all know how _awful _loss that would be to the school." Draco's father said, with a glimmer of pleasure. There was a bit of a disagreement that was practically in audible because of the four men's different tones all speaking at once. Unfortunately the discussion ended with both Dumbledore and Hagrid consenting leave. Each left us with powerful words to remember. Dumbledore, seemed to look right at me when he said,

"if the Governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall step aside. However, you will find that I will only truly have left Hogwarts when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Hagrid's good-bye was far less subtle and I thought for sure the Minister was going to find us there.

"All right, I'm comin'. If anyone need ter find _stuff_ all the'd have to do is follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right. That's all I'm sayn'. Oh an' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."


	21. Chapter 21

The door slammed shut, but I waited a few more moments until I was certain they were gone before unfreezing the boys.

"No, Dumbledore? They might as well close down the school tonight! They'll be an attack a day with him gone." Emily said.

"What do we do now?" Draco asked.

"What else can we do? Follow the spiders like Hagrid said." I told them. I pointed to a trail of spiders crawling through Hagrid's door. None of us had been in the forest before, and honestly none of us were eager to accept the challenge. None the less we pulled off our cloaks and followed after the straight line of spiders. "Lumos." I whispered lighting my wand and encouraging the others to do the same. All except Ron, after snapping his wand in the whopping willow at the start of term nearly ever spell he cast exploded. "And I suppose we best take fang, I doubt he'll get out much with Hagrid gone. The spiders traveled further into the forest.

"How far exactly are we going to go?" Ron asked nervously.

"Long as we have to I suppose." Emily said. We walked for at least an hour into the very deepest parts of the forest. There was a large snapping of branches to our right.

"AH!" Emily screamed.

"Quite! We don't want it to hear us." Draco said.

"What do you think it's doing?" Ron asked.

"Waiting to pounce." I added half joking. It was a silence for a moment or two. I gathered up enough courage to continue on. Pulling Emily along with me, I charged forward. After only a few more moments the darkness lifted and all around us were a hoard of spiders. There were no trees here, and it was exposed to the moons light, it would have been beautiful if the spiders weren't so creepy. The spiders actually began to speak. It was an eerie sort of dialect and the spiders clicked their pinchers after every word they spoke.

"Aragog!" They seemed to be calling.

"What is it?" called a deeper, louder voice.

"Man." Another less powerful voice answered.

"Is it Hagrid?" I could hear him moving closer to us with each click of his fangs.

"Strangers." Responded the second voice again.

"kill them!" Ron was about to let out a blood curdling scream but I cupped my hands around his mouth.

"Aragog, we are friends of Hagrid's He sent us here." I felt like I was going to vomit out of fear, but I needed to stand strong both for my own life, and my friends.

"Hagrid has never sent friends to me before. Aragog said clicking even closer to me.

"Hagrid's in trouble, that's why we've come!" I said. Hoping spiders understood reason.

"But why has he sent _you?_"

"They, the people at the castle, they think Hagrid's been setting something loose on the students. They've taken him to Azkaban." Aragog clicked his pinchers furiously, and all around us the sound echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn't usually make me feel sicker with fear.

"But that was years ago, years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that _I_ was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."

"And you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" Draco asked. Good to know someone else is fighting for our lives.

"I!" He clicked angrily. _On second thought, maybe we are going to die. _ "I was not born in the castle I come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you can see how our family has grown."

"So you never attacked anyone?" Emily asked.

"Never. It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I lived. Our kind like the dark and quite."

"Well if you didn't then who did kill the girl?" Draco asked.

"The thing that lives in the castle is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the castle."

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"We do not speak of it! We do not name it. I never even told Hagrid the name of the dreaded creature, though he asked me many times."

"Well Thank you, we'll just be going then." I said desperately hoping it would work.

"Go?" Aragog said slowly " Think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wonders wo willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friends of Hagrid." Behind us there was a solid black wall if spiders, their many ugly eyes gleaming. We didn't bother reaching for our wands, there were to many of them to do significant damage and escape. A sudden loud long not sounded, and a blaze of light filled the area. It was Mr. Weasley's care that Harry and Ron had flown into a tree all those months ago. The car knocked several spiders aside as it sped towards us.

"Boys grab Fang!" I shouted over my shoulder racing towards the car. I pulled into the driver's seat and Emily on my left. The boys toss fang in to back and then themselves. The car sped away and eventually the spiders stopped chasing us, and we were able to make our way out of the forest. The returned back to the forest as soon as all of its passengers were evacuated. We walked back to Hagarid's hut to grab the cloaks and return Fang.

"Follow the spiders! Follow the spiders! Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies? Honestly if Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him." Ron burst out as soon as we were in the safety of the hut.

"I'm sure Hagrid thought that Aragog wouldn't hurt us because we're his friends." Emily tried to reassure us.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Draco thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!"

"What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out I'd like to know?" Ron asked.

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent." We were all tired and exhausted, so we decided to head off to bed. _Follow the butterflies? Honestly Ron? _I thought as we made our way back towards the castle. Its warming light somehow feeling much less safer than the past year.


	22. Chapter 22

"Well if it wasn't Hagrid, who was it then?" Ron asked me one January night at dinner. It was risky enough bringing it up in the middle of the Great Hall. Especially after Christmas break when so many students were not permitted to return to Hogwarts. Even Emily's parents had kept her home after the holiday, and she came from a pure-blood family. A lot had changed since Dumbledore had left. Professor McGonagall, the acting headmistress, was allowing us to sit where ever we wanted because there were so few students left. All of the classes had been combined by year, it was a dark time for Hogwarts.

"Ron I honestly don't know." To be honest I had barely had time to think about it. Emily and I were doing our best to keep in touch with Mary, but she was so distant it was nearly impossible. Then there was Christmas break, and actual cores work, I was starting to believe we'd never catch the heir, and Hogwarts would be closed for good. Harry and I would were still not speaking, and that also looked like it wasn't going to change. I wish Hermione was here…_Hermione. _ Ever since she had been petrified, I still hadn't found the courage to see her…body. If I could face Voldemort, and man eating spiders you'd think I'd come close enough to death I could handle it.

"Boys, Let's go visit Hermione."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, you were a bloody wreck when you first found out, Can you handle it?"

"I'm sorry who out the three of us has faced off with Voldemort twice and lived to tell the tale? Oh just me? Yeah I'm pretty sure I can handle it." On the way there I thought about what it must have been like to be Professor McGonagall trying to explain to the Granger what happened to her. For the first time I got a good look at Hermione. Her right hand stuck up in the mirror holding position. Her other hand balled up in a fist. _Well that's interesting. _"Guys, have you ever seen Hermione making a fist ever?" I asked the two of them, They both shook their heads no immediately. I reached for her fisted hand and felt something scratch my own hand. I gently tugged at the piece of parchment and revealed a page torn from a book. By the look of the aging on the page, I assumed it was from a library book. "Hey, check this out." I whispered so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear us. They leaned in closer as I began to read from the page.

"_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known as The King Of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. It's methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall forever suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."_ After I finished reading I looked at the both of them. "Don't you see what this means? The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk!"

"That's why you've been hearing voices all over the place, it's a snake, so only you can hear it!" Draco added.

"Yes! The Basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died….because; no one's looked it straight in the eye! And spiders flee before it! It all makes sense!" I agreed again.

"But how's the Basilisk been getting around this place? A giant snake, someone would have seen…" Ron began.

"The pipes!" I practically shouted. "The voice is coming from the walls, he's using the plumbing!"

"Then where would the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets be, it would have to be in the plumbing wouldn't it?" Draco asked.

"Yes. I bet it's in one of the bathrooms, one that no one would go into, or that's not used often…" I said trying to think.

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom!" Ron said solving the mystery. "Didn't you and Emily say before that no one goes in there on account of her crying?"

"Yes!" I think we've got it. Let's got tell McGonagall. But as we left the hospital wing Professor McGonagall's voice began to echo through the halls.

"_All students are to report to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please." _

"Another attack? Now?" Ron asked. I ran, not to the Slytherin common room, but to the staff room. The Hospital wing was just close enough that we had time to make it there, and pull ourselves into a wardrobe before the first professor arrived. Soon the room was filled with hundreds of voices of the Hogwarts professors and staff members. Professor McGonagall quieted them all down before she spoke.

"It's happened. Our worse fear has been realized, I student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself." FLitwick let out a squeal, and Professor spout clapped her hands over her mouth. For the first time in my life, I saw the smile and laughter drain from Sirius' face. Remus could bearly compose himself, and then there was Severus, gripping the back of chair very hard, and not bothering to sit down.

"How can you be sure?" he asked.

"The Heir of Slytherin, left another message right underneath the first one. _Her Skeleton will lie in the chamber forever." _

"Who is it?" Madam Hooch asked as she sank into a chair. "Who is the student?"

"Ginny Weasley." Draco and I both clasped our hands around Ron's Mouth and held him there to prevent our cover being blown. "The students shall have to go home tomorrow. This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…" Suddenly the staff room door banged open and everyone's least favorite charms Professor had made his way into the room.

"So sorry-dozed off-what have I missed?" Lockhart asked short of breath.

"I hadn't even noticed he was missing." Draco whispered to me. I thought Severus was going to avada kedavra him right on the spot, but it was Sirius who jumped up from his seat.

"Just the man, the very man we need! A girl has been taken by the monster, Lockhart taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. You're moment has come at last!"

"That's right Gilderoy, weren't you just saying last night you knew where the Chamber of Secrets entrance is?" Professor Sprout added.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested." Severus recalled.

"Didn't you say the entire affaire had been bungled, and that you should have been given free rein from the first?" Sirius said driving the matter home.

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," Said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be and excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to track the monster all by yourself, a free rein at last." Lockhart gazed desperately around them, but no one came to his rescue.

"Very well, I'll…be…in my office, getting ready." And he fled the room.

"Right, now that gets him out from under our feet, Head of Houses go and inform your students of what's happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. The rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside of their dormitories. They slowly left to their tasks, Sirius, Remus and Severus among the first to leave. Once the room had cleared out, I opened the wardrobe. Ron was the first among us to speak.

"What do you think the chances are of her ya know.."

"Well, you and Ginny are purebloods, the heir has to have a good reason for taking someone like that. I mean Slytherin was pro-pureblood no matter what? We should defiantly go see Lockhart and tell him what we know. We can tell him where we think it is, and that we think there's a Basilisk there."

"Let's go!" Ron said. Practically running out of the room.

"I'm going to go back to the common room. I'll hold down the fort, and cover for you, chances are you'll be the first one Snape looks for after he tells them about the train."

"See you soon Draco." And we raced off, Draco to the dungeons, and Lockhart's office.


	23. Chapter 23

We headed to Lockhart's office. "Professor, we've got some information for you, we think It'll help you!" I pushed the door to his office open, "Are you going somewhere?"

"Er well yes." Lockhart said ripping a life sized post of himself off the back of the door. "Most unfortunate, when I took this job, nothing in the job description…don't expect…"

"You're running way? After all that stuff you did in your books?" Ron asked.

"Books can be misleading!" Lockhart counter acted.

"You wrote them!" I shouted.

"My dear girl, do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think _I'd_ done all of those things. No one wants to read about some old ugly Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip incredulously. I mean come on-"

"So you've just been taking credit for what loads of other people have done?" I asked. I knew the guy wasn't everything he cracked up to be, but the fact that he lied about _everything…._

"Alice, Alice, It's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charm. No, it's been a lot of work, Alice. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard ride." And with that he banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them. "I think that's everything, now only one thing left to do." He pulled his wand out and Ron and I exchanged a look. "I'm sorry children I'm going to have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book…"

I snapped out of it just in time. I whipped out my wand and shouted "EXPELLIARMUS!" Professor Lockhart fell backwards his wand falling out of his hands. Thankfully Ron caught it before it crashed down to the floor.

"Probably shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one." Ron said laughing. Lockhart was at our mercy and he knew it. Cowering on the ground he asked,

"What do you want me to do? I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There is nothing I can do."

"Well in that case, you're in luck. Ron and I think we know where the Chamber of Secrets is. _And _what's inside it. Let's go." I pointed my wand straight at Lockhart. "Get. Up." I commanded. We forced Lockhart out of his office and down to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"We're going to get expelled one of these days." Ron whispered to me.

"You want to save your sister or you want to go all Hermione on me?" I counteracted. When we reached the bathroom I began to call for Myrtle. She floated through one of her stalls.

"Oh. It's you, what do you want this time?" She asked me in a harsh voice.

"I'm sorry to bother you Myrtle, but can I ask, how did you die?" I asked trying to be gentle about it.

"Ooh it was dreadful. It happened right in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language."

Ron and I exchanged a look. "Parseltongue." We nodded and urge Myrtle to continue.

"Anyway what really got me was that it was a _boy _speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then…" she paused. "I died."

"How?" Ron asked a bit insensitively.

"I have no idea. I just remembered seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…And then I came back. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Where _exactly _did you see in the eyes?" Ron asked nervously.

"Somewhere there." Myrtle said pointing toward the sink in front of her toilet.

"Just as we thought. Thank you Myrtle." I said walking over to the sink. "Bring him with you." I called to Ron.

"Children I honestly don't think this will do any good. The girl is most likely…" I turned my wand on him.

"You finish that sentence, and you'll be begging to meet the heir of Slytherin." He shut up after that.

"You're scary sometimes. Do you know that?" After further inspection of the sink, I noticed it was the only one I've ever seen at Hogwarts with a snake engraved on it.

"Alohamora!" Ron said pointing his wand at the sink. I rolled my eyes.

"Ron it's got to be something is Parseltongue otherwise anyone could open it!"

"Open up." I commanded in what I hoped was Parseltongue. The sink lowered to the ground, Exposing a giant shoot to darkness.

"You first." I said to Lockhart. Ron and I pushed him in. We knew it was safe once we heard a thump from below.

"I'll go next." Ron said.

"Right behind you buddy." I responded as we each dropped down the dark hole. It was and endless rush. We seemed to slosh down the slimy, slide for hours. There were large pipes everywhere. Surely this is how the Basalisk was getting around. The tunnel came to an end and with a wet thud. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and his face was white as a ghost.

"We must be miles under the school." Ron said as he helped me up.

"Under the lake probably." I added. "Lumos." I whispered lighting my wand. Ron followed me lighting Lockhart's wand. "Remember, any sign of movement, close your eyes." The first unexpected sound we heard was a loud crunch. I turned to see that Ron had stepped on a long dead rat's skull. We lowered our wands to get a better look at the floor. It was literally covered in the bones of small animal bones. It took everything I had not to imagine what Ginny might look like if we ever found her down there.

"Alice there's something over there!" Ron whispered. I could hear the fear in his voice. Mustering all the courage I could, I looked to where Ron pointed .I breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just its skin Ron." I reassured.

"Blimey!" Ron exclaimed as he skirted his way around the dead skin. About twenty paced ahead of them I heard Ron shouting at Lockhart. "Get up!" I turned to see Lockhart's knees had given out and he was crumpled of the floor of the pipe. Nearly as soon as I turned lockhart jumped to his feet. I tried to jump forward but it was no use, the distance was too great. Lockhart had snatched Ron's wand out of his back pocket and was shouting at us.

"The adventure ends here children. I shall take a bit of the skin back up to the school, then tell them how we were too late to save the girl, and the you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body.-say good-bye to your memories!" He raised Ron's broken wand and pointed it straight above his head. "Obliviate!" The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. All I could do was Ron forward away from the explosion. The dust finally settled and I was alone on one side of the rubble.

"RON!" I called through the rocks.

"I'm here! I'm ok, this git's not, though. He got blasted by his own spell. We can't get through. It'll take ages." I looked up at the tunnel Huge gaps had appeared where pieces of the ceiling used to be. Ron was right Trying to get them through now would waste time. Ginny had already been down here for hours.

"Ron, you're going to have to stay here, with Lockhart. If I'm not back in an hour…" I didn't, no _couldn't _finish the sentence.

"I'll try to shift some of these rocks. So you can get through when you come back." Ron said, not allowing an awkward pause to build.

"Right. See you in a bit." I took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness, alone.


	24. Chapter 24

The tunnel finally ended and I came to a large solid wall where two intertwined serpents were carved, their eyes glowing with four large emeralds. "_Open."_ I commanded in a faint hiss. The serpents parted and the wall cracked open. The halves slid smoothly out of sight, with all the courage I could muster, I stepped forward. I found myself at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. _This has to be it. _My heart pounding out of my chest I scanned the chamber, looking for any signs of the youngest Weasley. I slowly moved forward past Towering stone pillars, wrapped with serpents. _Slytherin we get it you're really into snakes...enough with serpent motifs._ Finally I reached the end of the pillars, in front of me there was a large statue as tall as the chamber its self. It was an ancient monkeyish face, with a long thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet, facedown lay a small black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.

"GINNY!" I screamed racing over to her. _Ginny don't be dead. Ginny please don't be dead. _In my desperation to reach her I tossed my wand aside. "Ginny Please Wake up."

"She won't wake." Said a soft voice from behind me. A tall black haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though he was on the other side of a misted window.

"Tom, Tom Riddle?" I asked. He simply nodded not looking away. "What do you mean she won't wake? She's not dead is she?" I asked on the verge of tears.

"She is still alive, but only just." This couldn't be Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts nearly fifty years ago.

"Are you a ghost?" I asked.

"A memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years." He pointed closer to the statue's toes. There was the little black diary Emily and I had found in Myrtle's bathroom months ago.

"You've got to help me Tom! We've got to get her out of here. There's a Basilisk…I don't know where, but it could get here at any moment."

"It won't come unless it is called."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Give me my wand Tom." I demanding noticing he had picked it up from the ground.

"You won't be needing it." Was all he said.

"What do you mean I wont be needing it?"

"I've waited a long time for this Allison Potter. For the chance to speak to you…"

"Look don't think you get it, we're in the _Chamber of Secrets _We can talk Later!"

"We will talk now." He said, a broad grin edging its way across his face as he pocketed my wand.

"How did Ginny get this way?" I asked.

"Well that's an interesting question. And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart to the wrong person and spilled all of her secrets to a stranger."

"What are you talking about?" I was starting to get frustrated as I helplessly watched Ginny grow weaker.

"The diary." Riddle said. "My Diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me how she had come to school with second hand books, robes and how she didn't think your brother the great, famous, good Harry Potter would _ever_ like her…" Riddle continued to stare at me, as if sizing up a slice of meat. There was nothing I could do but cling to Ginny's lifeless body hoping she would wake. "It's very boring listening to the silly troubles of an eleven-year-old girl, but I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply _loved_ me. _No one's ever understood me like you, Tom. I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in .It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket._" He laughed. My body welled up with disgust.

"If I say it myself Allison, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of _my_ secrets, to start pouring a little of _my _soul back into her."

"What do you mean?" At this point I knew the longer I kept him talking the longer I'd stay alive. Maybe even long enough for Ron to break through, our climb up and get help.

"Haven't you guessed yet Allison Potter? Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threateing messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Muddbloods, and the Squib's cat."

"No." I shook my head. I knew all of the Weasleys by now, and though Ginny was the most distant, she was not a murderer.

"Yes." Riddle said. "Of course, she didn't _know_ what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries…She became far more interesting. _Dear Tom, I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom I can't remember what I did the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got pain all down my front. Tom, What am I going to do? I think I'm going mad."_ This guy was sick. Taking pleasure in a young girls suffering. I felt fists begin to form, but could you punch a memory?

"It took a very long time for stupid Ginny to stop trusting her diary, but she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it, and that's where _you _came in. Alice. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was _you_ one of the very people I was most anxious to meet…"

"And why did you want to meet me?"

"Well Ginny told me so much about your brother, Harry and your whole _fascinating _history." Well that was one advantage I had over Riddle he didn't know my _whole_ history. "I knew I needed to find out more about both Harry and you. So I decided to show you my famous capture of the great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust."

"Hagrid is my friend, and you framed him didn't you? I thought you made a mistake but…" My words were cut off by one of Tom's cold heartless laughs.

"It was my word against Hagrid's. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but _so brave, _school prefect, model student….on the other hand, big blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls…but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan had worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets, and find the secret entrance. As if Hagrid had the brains or the power! Only the Transfigurations teacher, Dumbledore seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes I think Dumbledore might have guessed…Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teacher did…"

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you." I added my nerve getting the better of me.

"Well he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled. I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school, but I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a piece of me in a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well you haven't finished yet. No one's dead this time not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was petrified will be all right again…"

"Haven't I already told you, that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now my target had been _you._ Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring, but there wasn't much life left in her. She put too much in the diary, into me. Enough ti let me leave its pages at last. I have been waiting for you to arrive here. I was hoping your brother would arrive with you, but I am certain I will get to him in time. I have man questions for you Alice Potter."

"Like what?" I spat.

"How is it that you, and your brother two skinny weak children with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you both escape with nothing but a pair of scars, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

"Why do you care how we escaped? Voldemort was after your time."

"Quite to contrary Alice. You see Voldemort is my past, present, and future." He pulled my wand from his pocket to trace it through the air, writing in shimmering words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE. Then he waved the wand once, the letters of his name rearranged themselves. I AM LORD VOLDEMORT. "You see it was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul common muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out my mother was a witch? No Alice, I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world."

"You're not!" shouted, only to realize I wasn't the only one shouting it. I turned around to see my brother breathing heavily. I had no idea how Harry had found me, and I didn't care. The fact that he was there was enough for me. Before I could say anything else Voldemort's memory commanded our attention again.

"Not what?" Riddle asked.

"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world. He said walking towards us. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days." The smile had gone from Riddle's face, and had been replaced by an ugly look.

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!"

"He's not as gone as you might think!" I added in. It felt good to be working with Harry again. Riddle opened his mouth, but froze. Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly, I felt shivers run through my body. A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle. I knew that bird. It was Dumbledore's pet Pheonix Fawks, and I had a pretty good guess that the mangled cloth was the sorting hat.

"That's a phoenix." Riddle exclaimed. _Wow some all-powerful sorcerer you are._

"Fawks?" Harry asked dumbfounded. _Keep up bro, That's a bird, and a hat. _

"And that's, the old school Sorting Hat." _Am I the only one in the room capable of processing a thought? No wonder you got defeated by a pair of twin babies. _"This is what Dumbledore sends his defenders! A songbird and an old hat? Do you feel brave? Do you feel safe now?" Harry didn't answer but instead made the final steps towards me, and we stood shoulder to shoulder together." To business then. Twice in your past-in my future-we have met. And twice I have failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk, the longer you stay alive." Harry recognized this was no empty threat and though he wasn't one-hundred percent sure what was going on, he complied.

"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked us. I don't even know myself, but I do know why you couldn't kill us. Because our mother died to save us."

"Our common _Muggle-born_ mother." I added knowing that'd hit a nerve. "She stopped you from killing us. We saw the real you. We saw you last year. You're a wreck, you're barely alive. That's what all your power's got you. You're in hiding, and You're ugly and foul." Riddle's face contorted he forced it into an awful smile.

"So your mother died to save you. Yes that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now. There is nothing special about the pair of you at all. I wondered you see. There are strange likenesses between us all. I'm sure even you've noticed. All of us half-bloods, orphans. Your sister and I are probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since Slytherin himself. Harry you and I even look something alike…but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you both from me. That's all I wanted to know." I could feel Harry growing tense one my side. _Is this really how all of this ends?_ "Now I'm going to teach you both a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry and Allison Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him…" He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked awake. As Harry grew even stiffer at my side I felt my legs go numb as if they'd give out. But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I held strong, if this was it I know we'd go out with a fight.


	25. Chapter 25

"_Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four." _Voldemort hissed in parseltounge. Harry looked at me in confusion.

"He said, Speak to me, Slyhterin, greatest of the Hogwarts four." We both looked up at the statue. " I should have known that was him." I said mostly to myself. "There's a miniature statue just like this in our common room. Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. The mouth opened wider, and wider, making a huge black hole. Something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths. "CLOSE YOUR EYES HARRY! WHAT EVERY YOU DO, DON'T OPEN THEM! It'll kill you." We ran, our eyes closed. I tripped and fell hard onto the stone, blood trickled down to my mouth. My nose was definatly broken. There was a loud explosive spitting sound from above me. I heard a body, I assumed it was Harry, Slam into the wall. I waited for fangs to penetrate my flesh. When the strike didn't come, I peeked through my lids. Fawkes was soaring high above the Basilisk's head, the Basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and think like swords. Fawkes dived his long golden beak sank out sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The Snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry. I held my breath as Harry's now opened eye met and locked with the Basilisk. I was about to let out a great sob, when I realized both of the snake's gigantic eyes had been punctured by the phoenix. Blood was streaming to the floor and the snake was spitting in agony. "NO! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE CHILDREN ARE BEHIND YOU! YOU CAN STILL SMELL! KILL THEM!" Riddle was shouting from some unknown location. I silently inched my way over to harry through his shouts.

"It's blinded. We have to advantage now." I whispered as low as possible.

"It's still not enough. Like Riddle said, it can still hear. We need something more, anything…" The sorting hat fell through Harry's hands, and in his place I saw a gleaming silver sword.

"KILL THEM! LEAVE THE BIRD! SNIFF! SMELL THEM!" Riddle continued to shout.

"Is that enough?" I asked smiling.

"Might just be. Let's do this." He said. The Basilisk lunged blindly at us. We ducked, and it thankfully missed us both. I landed with a thud that was too loud for my taste. Unfortunately the snake heard it. It whipped its head in my direction and struck again. I raised my arm to soften the blow. I could feel warm blood drenching from my arm, there was a searing pain just below my elbow. One of the long poisonous fangs was sinking deeper and deeper in my arm it splintered as the basikisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor. I saw Harry Standing above us, the hilt of the sword in his hand, the blade in the head of the snake.

"Fawkes, you were fantastic." Harry said stroking the bird as it landed on his shoulder. She then flew over to me, as the room began to fade in and out of focus.

"You are dead Harry Potter. First your sister will fade into nothing, and then I will kill you myself. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what it's doing Potter? He's crying." It took all the effort I had to roll my head to the side and see that in fact Fawkes _was _crying.

"We will watch your sister die, and then you will fall, and so ends the famous Potter twins. Defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your mudblood mother soon."

_Soon?_ But the room was coming back into focus. The blurred details almost more defined than before. I mustered some courage to look at my wound, but when I finally looked there was no wound at all. Harry smiled at me, his back still to Voldemort's voice. And then Fawkes took off flying around in streaks of scarlet and gold.

"Of course Pheonix tears have healing powers I forgot. But this makes no difference. I have always preferred it this way. Just the three of us. Alice should be easy enough, she is wandless." As Riddle emerged from the shadows, something dropped from the sky. _The diary._ I smiled. I ripped the fang out of my arm, and shoved it through the diary. There was a long piercing dreadful scream. Ink sputtered out of the diary, flooding the floor, and then he was gone. Shaking all over I stood up, leaning on Harry for support. There was nothing in the room but the dead snake, Fawkes, Harry, Myself, and Ginny. There was a faint moan from where she was lying.

"Go. I'd rather sit for now." I said, pushing him towards Ginny. Right now more than anything she needed Harry to be her knight in shining armor. I thought of Draco and was sure he had something to do with Harry's appearance.

"Harry, oh Harry I tried to tell you at B-breakfast, but I _couldn't. I _didn't mean to-Riddle made me. How did you kill that thing?"

"It's alright Ginny. Riddle's finished. Come on Ginny, we've got to get out of here." Harry was failing to calm her down. I had to go help him. I wanted out of this darn chamber.

"Ginn. It's alright. Riddle's gone. See." I said handing her the diary. "And that's a basilisk, we can explain better once we get Ron..."

"You don't understand. I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts since Bill came. And n-now I'll have to leave. I'll be expelled for sure. _What will mum and dad say?_"

"Ginny, Dumbledore will give anyone a second chance. I'm sure they won't expel you. There was nothing you could do. You were under a cure, just like all those wizards who killed people during the first wizard war. Molly and Arthur will believe you. Beside Harry, I know everything. We'll stick up for you, but right now, we need to get back to Ron." We worked our way back through the tunnels Fawkes following faithfully behind.


	26. Chapter 26

"RON! RON!" I yelled through the pipes. "RON, GINNY"S OK! SHE'S WITH HARRY AND I!"

"Ginny?" Ron called back through the pipes. He was exactly where I left him, but half of the rock wall had been torn down. Ron pulled Ginny through the rock wall and hugged her. "You're alive! I don't believe it! How? Wait where did that bird come from?"

"It's Dumbledore's." I said launching into the tale. "What I don't understand is how did you get to Harry?" I asked turning to Ron. Ron smiled. I didn't. Now it was my turn to look confused.

"Draco. He said something about Hermione, and the hiding in the staff wardrobe. Then He said you two were going into the chamber with Lockhart. He told me you suspected Myrtle's bathroom. So I ran there as soon as I could. I asked Myrtle if she'd seen you and she pointed to the whole in the floor. I followed it to Ron, who told me how to find you. He said he had to stay to guard Lockhart..."

"Ron where_ is _Lockhart?" I asked.

"Over here. He's not in good shape." Ron said showing up a small outlet where Lockhart sat curled up. "His memory's gone. The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

"Hellow. Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?" Lockhart asked Ron.

"No." He said raising an eyebrow to us.

"Have any of you thought about how we're going to get back up there?" Ginny asked pointing to the ceiling. The boys shook their heads but I grinned as Fawkes landed beside us.

"Ginny and I will ride on Fawke's back. Harry you and Ron grab fawke's tail feathers and each hold Lockhart's hand. After a few moments we made our way to the surface of Myrtle's bathroom.

"Where to now?" Ginny asked.

"McGonagall's office." I said leading the way.

* * *

><p>We held our breath outside of McGonagall's office. I took in the sight of us. The five of us covered in muck, slime, and blood. I knocked on the door unsure of what we'd face on the other side.<p>

"GINNY!" came a scream from Mrs. Weasley. It was apparent that she had been sitting by the fire crying. She leapt to her feet closely followed by . Harry and I stepped to the side giving the Weasleys some time. We both saw Professor Dumbledore standing by the mantelpiece, beaming next to Professor McGonagall. Fawkes went whooshing past us and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder. My thoughts were soon drowned out by more of 's sobs.

"How did you save her?"

"I think we'd all like to know that." Professor McGonagall added. Ron started off with going to visit Hermione earlier that night. _Had it only been that night?_ Then I continued after the rocks fell.

"So you found out where the entrance was, by breaking hundreds of school rules I may add, but how did you all get out alive?" Harry was about to continue the story from his entrance into the chamber. About how Fawkes had helped him, and the sorting hat had given him the sword, but I knew he was worried about Ginny. He didn't want Ginny to get expelled. None of us did. We both turned to Dumbledore for help.

"What interests me most. Is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania." Harry, Ron and I let out breaths we didn't know we were holding.

"What's that? You-know-who? Enchanted Ginny? But Ginny's not…She hasn't been…Has she?"

"It was this diary." I said handing it to . Then Harry filled in the rest of the story from his point of view.

"Brilliant. Of Course He was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen. Very few people know that Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself. Fifty years ago, here at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving school. Sank deeply into the Dark Arts, and resurfaced as Lord Voldemort."

"But Ginny. What's our Ginny got to do with him?"

"His diary. I-I-I've been writing in it, and he's been writing me back all year." looked like he would explode.

"Ginny haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself. Why didn't you show this diary to me or your mother?"

"I don't know. I found it in the books mum got me. I th-thought someone just left it in there and forgotten about it."

"Miss Weasley, you should go to the hospital wing right away. This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort. Bed rest, perhaps a large steaming mug of Hot Chocolate. I always find that cheers me up. You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice-I dearsay the basilisk victoms will be waking up any moment."

"So Hermione's ok?" Ron said brightly.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny. You know Minerva, I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to alert the kitchens?"

"Right. I'll leave you to deal with the Potters and Weasley, shall I?" She asked slipping out of the room.

"Harry, Ron, I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you both if you broke any more school rules." The three of us opened up to protest, but Dumbledore held up his hand. "Which goes to show the best of us sometimes eat our words. The three of you shall receive Special Awards for Services to the school, and I think two hundred points apiece to your houses. However one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this Dangerous adventure. Why so modest Gilderoy."

_I forgot about him._ "Professor Dumbledore there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart…"

"Am I a Professor?" Lockhart asked "Goodness I expect I was hopeless, was I?" I stifled a laugh and continued on.

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and Ron's wand backfired."

" would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary too? I'd like a few words with Harry and his sister." Ron gave Dumbledore a curious look, but pulled Lockhart behind him without a word.

"First, I would like to thank you both. You must have shown me true loyalty, nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you. And so you've met Tom Riddle."

"Professor, Riddle Said that Harry and I are like him. He said the three of us shared a strange likeness…" I wanted to know how Dumbledore felt about it. If he thought we were similar.

"Did he now? And what do you think?"

"I guess I can see some things that are similar…" But Harry interrupted me.

"I don't think I like him. I mean I'm in Gryiffindor…" He stopped, remembering his sorting last year. "Professor the sorting hat said I'd do well in Slytherin, and Alice can speak Parseltongue…maybe there are more similarities between us than we thought."

"Ah yes. Alice I believe you can speak parseltongue because Lord Voldemort, the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to each of you the night he gave you those scars. Not something he intended to do I'm sure, and I do believe some more of his influences will grow prominent the older you get."

"But Professor, how will we know which parts of us are us, and which parts of us are Voldemort? Does that mean I have more Voldemort in me, than Harry, because I am in Slytherin and he is in Gryffindor?"

But Alice, the sorting hat only put me in Gryffindor because I asked." Harry said.

"Exactly. Which makes you different from Voldemort. It is our choices that show us who we truly are. If you want more proof Harry I suggest you look more closely at this." He said lifting the sword from McGonagall's desk. Shimmering in the firelight, were the words _Godric Gryffindor._ "Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat Harry."

"Great so Harry the perfect Gryffindor, but what about me? I'm the one with the clearest links to Voldemort."

"Allison you can't think of any reason why you would be in Slytherin? The Hat sorts you into a house yes, but it also takes what you want into account. Think Alice what is the one thing you wanted most when you were being sorted?" _To make Severus proud. _"Think about growing up, think about where you came from. You are growing to be a very cunning and smart witch Miss Potter. Only a Slytherin could have opened that Chamber. Only a Slytherin would be keen enough to fit all the pieces together. Though your tactics included a little rule breaking, you were not deterred from your path one bit. That wisdom and that determination is what makes you a true Slytherin." Dumbledore smiled. "But in my personal opinion I think there is a reason far greater as to why you're in Slytherin. True you would have been of great service to the Gryffindor house, but I think you are in Slytherin so that our world can finally see that Slytherin is not only made of Dark Wizards and Witches, and I'm sure you already know. The line between good and evil is often blurred and re-divided."

I nodded understanding now. Harry was our father's son. Seeing only black and white with hard evidence, with Sirius as a guardian he was raised to believe if it smells like a rat it most likely is. I was my mother's daughter, living by my feelings and intuition, being raised by Severus and Remus, I've learned things are seldom what they seem, and that we all must form our own opinion, not letting others tell it to us. It was our own differences from each other that made us different from Voldemort, who lived solely for power. Raised as an orphan with no love, he could never learn love in return. "And now children, I'm afraid I must dismiss you to your gaurdians. Harry Sirius is waiting for you in his office, and as you've already spoken to Professor McGonagall you are dismissed for the evening. Alice I'm afraid you will still have to meet with Professor Snape, Remus is waiting for you there in his office. As for me, I must write to Azkaban, we need our gamekeeper back." We were about to exit the office, when it's door came slamming open. It was of coarse Lucius Malfoy.

"That's Draco's father." I whispered to Harry.

"Good evening Lucius." Dumbledore said pleasantly. Harry and I noticed Dobby scurrying behind him crouching at the hem of his cloak. Dobby was carrying carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to clean Mr. Malfoy's shoes. Mr. Malfoy didn't pay him any attention but stared coldly at Dumbledore.

"So!" he said. "you've come back. The governors of the school suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

"Well you see Lucius, the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hurricane of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange things they told me too. Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

"So have you stopped the attacks yet? Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have." Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Well who is it?" asked sharply.

"The same person it was last time. But this time Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else, by means of a diary." I watched as Dobby continued to point at the black book that was now sitting upon McGonagall's desk. "A clever plan. Because if The Potters and their friend Ron, hadn't discovered the book, Ginny Weasley might have taken the blame. No one would be able to prove she hadn't done it of her own free will."

"Very Fortunate." Mr. Malfoy said.

" , don't you want to know how Ginny got ahold of the diary?" Harry asked.

"How should I know how the stupid girl got hold of it?"

"Because you gave it to her. In Florish and Blotts." I laughed thinking back to the start of the year.

"Yeah Harry's right! You picked up her Transfiguration book, and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

"Prove it." He hissed.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that. Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you Lucius not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Mr. Weasley will make sure they trace back to you."

"We're going Dobby." He said turning on his heels.

"Professor, can I give that diary_ back_ to ?"

"Certainly Harry, but do hurry, the other children will be waking soon." Dumbldore and I watched from the office as Harry chased after them. On his way I watching him take off one of his shoes.

" , I've got something for you." Harry said handing him the diary inside the sock. Lucius ripped the sock off and threw it aside.

"You'll meet the same fate as your parents someday Mr. Potter." He said with disgust, and turned away. "Come Dobby." But dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock and looking at it, as though it were a priceless treasure.

"Master has given Dobby a sock."

"What was that?" spat spinning around. "What did you say?"

"Got a sock. Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby is free!" Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf.

"You've lost me my servant boy!" He lunged for Harry, I raced forward, but Dumbledore held me back they were too far down the corridor.

"YOU SHALL NOT HARM HARRY POTTER!" Dobby said snapping his fingers. There was a loud bang and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He stood up and left without another word. The pressure on my shoulders eased and I raced forward, embracing Harry.

"That was brilliant!" I exclaimed.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby! Harry Potter is the greatest wizard Dobby ever knew! Farewell Harry Potter!" And with a loud crack Dobby disappeared.

"I suppose I should be heading over to Sirius' office now."

"Yeah. I'm sure Snape's been waiting all night to have a go at me." We walked down the end of the corridor and as I turned left towards the dungeons, I looked back. "Hey Harry," He turned around, he seemed to have aged some much in the past few hours. "thanks for saving me. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Anytime. Hey, Alice, I'm sorry. Do you think you could ever…"

"Already forgiven. Harry, we're family, and if we don't have each other, we don't have anything." He smiled and I turned away again.

"See you at the feast!" He called after me.

"Wouldn't miss if for the world!"


	27. Chapter 27

I pretty much knew what to expect on my way to Severus' Office. He'd threaten me with every punishment under the sun. We'd stop speaking for months. The feast celebrating Harry, Ron, and I would be awkward and miserable for us both. After Hogwarts I'd return to Remus' house and Sev would disapear until mid-July when he'd finally come to his senses. It was going to be rough but we'd get through it. I knocked on the door, and pushed it open. I turned my back on the room to shut the door. Only after I heard the soft click did I notice faint sobbing behind me. I heard Remus talking. "She'll be alright. Lockhart's with them down there. Though his magical skills are lacking he'll at least have enough knowledge to keep them alive." At first I thought he was trying to convince himself that I was fine, but the sobs continued through his words. I knew there was someone else in there with him and Severus. "Alice isn't stupid either. She solved your potion challenge last year to get to the Sorcerer's Stone. Severus listen to me, Alice is not like Lilly. She has enough of James in her that she will pull through this."

_Severus?_ It was Severus who was crying? Remus I would expect, but Sev? He was always the rock, the disciplinarian, the logic in the sea of the chaos. I turned around, now facing the room I could see that it was empty. The voices were coming from Severus' private chambers. I crossed the room and entered the private chambers. I was not prepared for the site on the other side.

Severus was poured over a table weeping, a bottle of nettle wine in his hand. Remus was standing behind him, his hand on Severus' shoulder, trying to reassure him. Remus' hand dropped when he saw me. "Alice!" He said in a voice that was half disbelief, and half relief. Severus lifted his head and I ran to him.

"Thank Goodness." He said into my hair as I hugged him. "I thought we'd lost you forever." He was clinging to me like a child to their blanket. He was smothering me, something I had never experienced from him before. I pulled away from him.

"Sev, it's alright, I'm fine, calm down."

"Alice-Lily you're covered in blood. Your nose looks broke and good god what happened to your arm?" I looked down, though the Pheonix tears had stopped the bleeding, there was still a large gash where the fang had been. Severus pulled himself together and started riffling through to cupboards for potions. "Allison that was very careless of you. Did you even stop to think about how it would affect us? I was so worried about you!" This was a Severus I could handle. He was stern but still concerned.

"Sev, I'm sorry. I know that you would worry, but if I could take on the greatest wizard of all time, I figured I could take on a big snake." I launched into the story starting from When Emily and I discovered the diary. "Sev, think about how sad you were just know, at the thought, the chance, that I could be dead. Now think about how Molly and Arthur must have felt listening to Dumbledore say that Ginny was absolutely dead."

"But Alice," Remus started speaking for the first time. "Why didn't you come to an adult?"

"We did. We went to Lockhart. But he didn't want to help us, and by then too much time had passed, and we needed to act soon. You guys both know it's about time. If we hadn't gotten there when we did, Ginny would be dead, and Ron, Draco, Harry and I would have that guilt on us. There is nothing worse than knowing that you caused someone's death. Isn't that what you always say Severus?"

"I suppose you right. But Alice, you've got to stop doing this to us. Next time you come up with some elaborate scheme like this, please include us." Remus said. I took in a big yawn.

"Can I go to bed now? I'm tired." I asked stretching my arms.

"No." Severus said handing me a goblet. "drink this. And I'll need you to stay here overnight for observation. Remus would you mind staying as well, I have some business to addend to, and I don't want her alone, and I'm sure she'd feel more comfortable with you her. I have yet to determine a Punishment."

"Really? Why is it, I always get punished for saving the wizarding world? That's it. Next time Voldemort Lord of the snakes comes back you all can fend for yourselves. You're butts are dead, cuz Harry and I aren't anything without the other. You're all dying…" Remus talked over my rant.

"Sure. I'll take the couch. Alice you head to Severus' bed."

"But Sev, where are we all going to sleep?"

"I'm not." He said leaving in whirl of black.

And he was true to his word. He woke me every hour, to check my progress. My nose was fixed and the gash was greatly lessoned. I woke to find Severus siting at the table again, this time sipping tea. Any evidence of the wine from last night had been hidden, and he was clutching his forehead.

"You're scar hurt?" I laughed. Referencing the fact then whenever Voldemort is around Harry and I we get a white hot pain in our foreheads.

"Very funny Miss Potter. If you must know I had a bit too much to drink last night before your arrival." I laughed.

"Very formal this morning _Professor Snape_. Any reason?"

"Alice, my head is pounding, and I almost called you Lily, please don't mess with me this morning."

"I've got something for that head." I reached into the pocket of my robes and pulled out a small vial. He was cautious as he took it.

"What is this, and where did you get it?"

"It's an anti-headache solution that you gave me last year. Honestly Severus, I was raised by a potions master, I know not to just drink anything someone gives me." He took a few swigs of the concoction and handed me back the vial. I stowed it away, and went to take a shower. Blood free, and mostly healed from the nights injuries I headed off to the Slytherin common room. Taking one last look, at the Severus I had known before Hogwarts. I knew he'd be back to "Professor Snape" by the feast.

* * *

><p>Most of the students were making their way down to breakfast. Last night all the heads of houses told them that Hogwarts would be continuing the rest of the year, and that there would be a feast that morning. I waited for Draco outside of the Slytherin entrance. Together we walked to the Great Hall.<p>

"Thank you." I said to him as we walked.

"For what?" He asked.

"For sending Harry after me."

"Have you two made up yet?"

"I think so." I smiled as we entered the Great Hall. I was assaulted by a large bundle of bush brown hair, no more than two steps into the hall.

"You solved it! You solved it!" It was Hermione.

"We couldn't have done it without you, honestly!" I said hugging her back. Then there was Hagrid, crying so feverously. I think he was more glad to be back than out of Azkaban. It was probably the greatest feast any of us would ever share at Hogwarts.

**The End.**


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